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After deliberating for more than eight hours, a Texas jury decided Thursday that the convicted killer of Richardson police Officer David Sherrard deserves to die.
Brandon McCall, 28, was convicted of capital murder last week in the February 2018 shooting death of Sherrard, who had responded to a call about gunfire at an apartment where McCall was staying.
The shootings were part of an hours-long standoff in Richardson, a suburb north of Dallas. During several exchanges of gunfire, Sherrard who was 37 years old, was shot in the neck and died at a hospital about three hours later, FOX 4 of Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
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Officer David Sherrard of the Richardson Police Department in Texas was killed in the line of duty on Feb. 7, 2018. (Richardson Police Department)
The jury’s decision that McCall should be executed was met with hugs and tears among the officer’s family, friends and fellow police officers who packed the courtroom in McKinney, Collin County, the Dallas Morning News reported.
McCall had also fatally shot his roommate, Rene Gamez,30, whose family members were in attendance as well, the newspaper reported.
Deliberations began around 1:30 p.m. with the verdict reached about 10 p.m., FOX 4 reported.
McCall was led out of the courtroom after the verdict, then brought back in later to hear impact statements from both victims’ families, the Morning News reported.
“You took a piece of my family,” Emily Sherrard, the officer’s daughter, told the killer. “But we’re Sherrards, and my dad proved that name means crazy strength.”
“You took a piece of my family. But we’re Sherrards, and my dad proved that name means crazy strength.”
“Your cowardly ambush of David Sherrard and the other officers that went into that apartment was the most despicable act that I can ever, ever think of,” Richardson police Chief Jimmy Spivey said.
Brandon McCall, convicted of capital murder in the death of a Texas police officer, was sentenced to death Thursday. (Collin County Sheriff's Office)
Back when the shooting occurred, Spivey had spoken of Sherrard as an exemplary officer, a veteran of a dozen years with the department who was devoted to his wife, two daughters and the community.
“It’s a sad day for the Richardson Police Department,” the chief said. “This is the first officer that has been killed in the line of duty in our department in our 63-year history. You can imagine the trauma that’s caused for our department.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also offered condolences.
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“The hearts and soul of Texas mourn with you,” Abbott wrote to the Richardson force. “Your loss is a loss to all law enforcement and everyone in our great state. Texas will honor the lost officer with the dignity he deserves. May God rest his soul. And may his legacy live on in others' service.”
McCall’s defense team had sought a life sentence with no possibility of parole. It was unclear if a date had been scheduled for McCall’s execution.
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