Jurors on Wednesday deliberated 30 minutes Wednesday before sentencing Joe Nathan Haywood to life in prison for shooting Fort Worth Police Officer Cliff Hankins last summer. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, according to the Tarrant County district attorney's office.
Haywood, 27, who pleaded guilty this week to shooting Hankins on July 7, 2011, faced 15 years to life in the case.Prosecutors Joe Shannon and Greg Miller urged jurors to give Haywood a lengthy sentence while defense attorney Tim Moore suggested they consider Haywood's difficult upbringing and the fact that he pleaded guilty and took responsibility for the shooting.Hankins, a 17-year police veteran, testified Tuesday that while responding to a suspicious person call he attempted to stop Haywood on East Berry Street and that twice the man ignored Hankins' instructions to stop walking and remove his hands from his pockets.Then, Haywood suddenly wheeled around and fired a handgun at him, he testified.Hankins said he lunged behind his patrol car, but the bullet struck his lower back, damaging a nerve and requiring him to undergo months of physical therapy.Miller told jurors during closing arguments that case illustrates the risk police officers face every day. While most people are conditioned to flee from danger, police officers are trained to head straight into it, he said.Whose job is it to "protect the protectors?" he asked."Today, this week, it is you," Miller told jurors.Shannon suggested that Hankins prevented another crime by confronting Haywood, who has a long criminal history. He reminded jurors that Haywood was walking outside a bank in a hooded sweatshirt on a 106 degree day. After he was arrested, officers found he that was carrying a gun, gloves and a pillow case, he said."He's not out there sunbathing," Shannon said.Moore told jurors that Haywood's father was incarcerated during his childhood and that his parents had drug adductions. He grew up with "no structure, no discipline and no one to guide him," Moore said."He never had a chance," Moore said.Alex Branch, 817-390-7689Twitter: @albranch1Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
