Missouri inmate convicted of killing cop says judges shouldn’t get to hand down death sentences

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

A man awaiting sentencing for killing a Missouri police officer is challenging the constitutionality of a state law that allows judges to hand down the death sentence. A jury in June convicted 45-year-old Ian McCarthy of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Clinton Police Officer Gary Lee Michael Jr. during a 2017 traffic stop. After days of deliberation, the jury informed the judge that it couldn’t decide whether to sentence McCarthy to death or life in prison without parole. McCarthy’s attorneys filed a motion last week asking the judge to declare the state law unconstitutional and to sentence McCarthy to life. The judge will consider the motion at Friday’s sentencing hearing.