Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA — The man convicted of transporting the .45-caliber handgun used in the 2008 killing of Philadelphia Police Sgt. Patrick McDonald was sentenced last night by a federal judge to 10 years in prison.
As the sentence was read, euphoric cheers erupted in the courtroom, which was filled to near capacity with McDonald’s family and more than 30 police officers with whom he’d worked in the Highway Patrol Division.
“The judge did what was right. These guys here, they need to know there’s justice,” said Larry McDonald, the father of the slain officer. “Now we need to try and put this chapter of our lives behind us, if that’s possible.”
Stephen Lashley was convicted in December of transporting two guns into Philadelphia from South Carolina, where he hired a man to buy the weapons for him. Lashley was unable to purchase the guns legally because of an earlier drug conviction.
One of the weapons was ultimately used by Daniel Giddings in the fatal shooting of McDonald during a roadside traffic stop. Giddings was killed by another officer in a shootout.
Under the sentencing guidelines approved by U.S. District Judge Michael M. Baylson, Lashley faced up to 15 years in prison. Prior to sentencing, the judge described the issue of balancing Lashley’s familial obligations - he has 1- and 12-year-old sons – with the need to send a message to other gun traffickers.
“The details of this case could be used in an Academy Award-winning script for why gun trafficking has to be taken seriously by the courts,” Baylson said.
At the outset of yesterday’s proceedings, Lashley had requested that his court-appointed attorney, Kenneth Edelin, be removed after the attorney had failed to meet with him in prison, to discuss legal strategy, after December’s jury verdict. Edelin said he hadn’t seen a need to visit with his client, but apologized to the court.
After Baylson rejected that request, Lashley sat quietly through the proceedings before standing to address the court before sentencing.
Turning to the audience at the rear of the room, he said, “I truly apologize. I know it doesn’t mean much because you lost a brother, but I truly am sorry for what happened.”
Copyright 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer