A Man May Serve Life in Prison for Cops Killing Another Cop
Jagger Freeman may be liable for an officer’s death according to New York’s proximate theory of felony murder, even though he didn't carried a weapon and never set foot in the store.
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Jagger Freeman has been convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison because of New York’s felony murder law, a legal concept that broadens the crime of murder to include those who set into motion a series of events that lead to a person’s death, regardless of their intent, The Gothamist reports. Freeman served as a lookout for Christopher Ransom while he attempted to rob a T-Mobile store with a fake gun. When police arrived, Ransom charged forward with the fake gun, prompting officers to fire more than 40 shots in 11 seconds, killing NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen in the process.
Although he didn’t carry a weapon and hadn’t set foot in the store where the crime was committed, Freeman was still liable for the officer’s death according to New York law. Currently, New York is one of just 13 states that accept a proximate theory of felony murder, which was deemed “barbaric” by the Supreme Court of California where it was scaled back in 2019 following a similar decision in Massachusetts. Freeman’s family members and attorney believe his hefty sentence does not fit his crime and Ransom, who has said he was attempting to commit suicide by cop, submitted an affidavit stating that Freeman had nothing to do with his crime.
