Two ex-Colorado cops were sentenced on Friday for killing a six-foot-tall drunk man on his 23rd birthday after cuffing him and shoving him into a five-foot-long van compartment to take him to detox.
Former Boulder County sheriff deputy James O'Brien was sentenced to six years followed by three years of parole. His partner in crime Adam Lunn was given three years in prison with another three on parole for the 2018 death of Demetrius Roy Shankling.
In a statement released Thursday Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said: 'This entire incident is a tragedy to everyone involved, including Mr Shankling and his family, as well as these former deputies and their families.
'I’m sure of one thing, this death did not need to occur. I’m also sure these former deputies intended no harm. I am confident we took all the necessary steps for accountability and transparency during this process. We relied on the justice system for a just outcome, and we trust that outcome is the best it can be under a horrible and yet preventable situation. I am deeply saddened for everyone involved.'
Two ex-Colorado cops James O'Brien (left) and Adam Lunn (right) were sentenced on Friday for killing a six-foot-tall drunk man on his 23rd birthday after cuffing him and shoving him into a five-foot-long van compartment to take him to detox. O'Brien was sentenced to six years in prison while Lunn got three
Six-foot-tall Demetrius Roy Shankling (pictured) died after being crammed face-down into a five-foot-long van compartment for 16 minutes as cops drove him to a detox facility. An autopsy report showed Shankling died of suffocation because of his positioning and alcohol and amphetamine in his system were contributing factors
O'Brien and Lunn were found guilty of manslaughter back in August after body camera footage and surveillance video from inside the van showed the moments leading up to Shankling's death.
It showed the then-cops stumbling across an obviously intoxicated Shankling and his friend wandering around in the early hours of September 9, 2018, near Canyon Boulevard, Boulder.
Shankling sat on the ground insisting that he shouldn't go to detox. 'He's fine,' friends said in the background as Shankling told cops: 'I live right there... I would love to just go home.'
'Sir, we can't do that,' the officer responded.
As they started to handcuff him an upset Shankling said: 'I'm not fighting anything... I'm not doing anything,' to which a cop replied: 'You talk big for a small kid, dude.'
Oddly enough, just moments later as the officers went to put Shankling in the van one said: 'You're a big, tall guy, okay. Don't
