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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Othal Wallace, 31, was found guilty of manslaughter in the 2021 killing of Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor, who was 26-years-old at the time of his death. On Friday in a Volusia County court, Wallace learned that he’d spend decades in prison.
On June 23, 2021, Officer Raynor approached Wallace in his car behind a Daytona Beach apartment complex. The defendant shot the officer, who died two months later. After Wallace was captured he was charged with first-degree murder, WESH 2 News reported.
However, a jury only found Wallace guilty of manslaughter. According to Florida sentencing guidelines, the conviction carried a prison term between 10.6 years to 30 years.
Fortunately, the judge hearing the case gave Wallace the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Had Wallace been found guilty of murder, he could have faced the death penalty.
“You have been afforded due process. … I am not here to solve any social issues, and that is not the purpose of today’s sentence,” the judge said as he addressed Wallace on Friday.
“Words matter. They really matter. Your words were very chilling,” the judge continued. “It sends a terrible message. … You did not kill Jason Raynor because he was Jason Raynor. You killed him because he was a police officer. … Clearly, you hold nothing but contempt and resentment for law enforcement.”
In concluding his thoughts, the judge admonished Wallace for what he called “prejudice.”
“Concentrating your dislikes for all law enforcement without regard to any other human characteristics is called prejudice,” the judge proclaimed. “Based upon that I am going to adjudicate you guilty of the offense of manslaughter with a firearm. I hereby sentence you to 30 years in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections.”
Wallace will be credited with 847 days that he has already spent in custody.
WATCH SENTENCING
The Officer Down Memorial Page offered the following overview In Memoriam to Officer Raynor, a five-year police veteran at the time he was killed.
Police Officer Jason Raynor succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on June 23rd, 2021, while he was investigating a suspicious vehicle.
He noticed the vehicle parked near an apartment building in the 100 block of Kingston Avenue at about 8:50 pm. One of the occupants exited the vehicle and then suddenly pushed Officer Raynor. During the ensuing struggle, the subject shot Officer Raynor in the head.
The man fled to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was arrested three days later. He was extradited to Florida and charged with first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer. In September 2023 the man was convicted of manslaughter.
Officer Raynor had served with the Daytona Beach Police Department for two years and had previously served with the Port Orange Police Department for three years. He is survived by his mother, father, and sister.
During Friday’s hearing, several people offered victim impact statements, WESH 2 News reported.
Chief Jakari Young of the Daytona Beach Police Department discussed the impact of Officer Raynor’s death on the department, saying many officers departed, and recruitment became a challenge. Chief Young advocated for the maximum 30-year sentence, saying that it should not be negotiable.
Officer Raynor’s father offered an emotional statement, highlighting the life sentence his son faced and the lack of remorse from Wallace, noting that no apology had been offered to the family.
Other family members described Officer Raynor as a “hero, compassionate, and kind,” while expressing the enormous, irreplaceable loss they experienced.
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Source: www.lawofficer.com