A Texas man has been sentenced to 70 years in prison after spitting on police officers during a domestic violence arrest.
According to WREG, 36-year-old Larry Pearson was charged with harassing a public servant after he spat at police officers during an arrest, prosecutor Jessica Gorman said. Pearson was sentenced on Wednesday (April 12).
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What Led To Larry Pearson's Arrest And 70-Year Prison Sentence
Officers reported to the scene of a 2022 domestic violence incident in which Pearson was accused of hitting a woman several times.
A police report stated that the woman had “multiple visible injuries,” but Pearson insisted that she be arrested instead. Things took a turn when he began kicking the doors of the officer’s vehicle.
When the officers opened the door to tell him to stop, prosecutor Jessica Gorman said he spit at both police officers.
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Larry Pearson's Past Criminal History And How It Affected His Sentencing
Pearson reportedly had prior convictions for aggravated robbery and family violence, Gorman said.
As a result, he faced a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Gorman added that Pearson kept spitting after he arrived at the Lubbock County Detention Center.
During closing arguments of the sentencing phase of Pearson’s trial, prosecutors requested that the jury consider a number that would “send a message” to Pearson and society.
“You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this when you’ve never been in trouble before,” Gorman told Nexstar’s KLBK/KAMC.
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Pearson's Defense Attorney Explains Incident As "Simple Misdemeanor"
Defense Attorney Jim Shaw argued to the jury that Pearson’s sentencing was for a “simple misdemeanor” in a circumstance that got “out of control.”
However, due to his prior convictions, the minimum sentence Pearson could have received would’ve been 25 years.
So, his decades-long sentence is also based on his criminal history.
“If you’re going to live the life of crime, you’re going to do that among other criminals [in prison],” Gorman said during closing arguments.
