By Jamie Satterfield
Knoxville News-Sentinel
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Three trigger pulls and two trials later, Cameron Cook was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison for the attempted murder of a Knoxville Police Department officer.
Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood rejected Cook’s claim that he fired on officer Andrew Olson in February 2011 not to kill but to buy time to flee, noting there was “ample evidence” Cook, 20, pulled the trigger on a pump-action shotgun three times during the encounter that began with a pursuit and ended with Olson suffering a potentially career-ending leg wound.
Cook was tried twice for attempted first-degree murder in the shooting after jurors in his first trial deadlocked, 10-2, over Cook’s intent. A second jury spent less than an hour deliberating before convicting him. Defense attorney Phil Lomonaco had argued at each trial that Cook did not have Olson in the crosshairs but instead made a panicked decision to use gunfire to scare the officer away so he could escape.
Lomonaco continued to advance that argument at Tuesday’s sentencing hearing in Knox County Criminal Court.
“There’s still a question in my mind whether there was premeditation,” Lomonaco said.
But Blackwood countered that Cook needed only one shot to spook the officer but fired a second shot “while the officer was down” and confessed he attempted a third, thwarted when the shotgun jammed. Cook faced a minimum 15-year sentence for attempted murder and a mandatory minimum stack of six years for using a gun, for a total of 21 years. Lomonaco urged Blackwood to stick with the minimum.
“I know it’s an emotionally charged case with a police officer being involved,” Lomonaco said. “An objective standard should be applied no matter who the victim is.”
Assistant District Attorney General TaKisha Fitzgerald pressed Blackwood for a heftier punishment, noting Olson continues even now to suffer medical issues related to the slug that slammed into his leg.
“His extensive injuries, the hospital stays, the surgeries show the personal injury (suffered by Olson) was particularly great,” she said.
Olson, who still needs crutches or a brace to walk, has testified he likely will never return to patrol duties and instead will be confined to a desk job at KPD.
Blackwood noted that outcome in deciding to sentence Cook to 22 years on the attempted murder conviction and another eight years on the gun charge.
"(Olson) may have lost his career,” Blackwood said. “He still has major surgeries (ahead).”
Cook led Olson on a high-speed chase before coming to an abrupt stop on Washington Pike, leaping from the car he was driving and opening fire.
Copyright 2012 Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.