Illegal Immigrant Gets 55 Years for Officer Death

By: Associated Press Email

Updated: Fri 3:50 PM, Jun 08, 2012

HOUSTON - A jury has decided an illegal immigrant who pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter in the traffic death of a Houston police officer should serve 55 years in prison.

Jurors in Houston deliberated about four hours over two days before deciding the penalty Friday for 27-year-old Johoan (YOH'-hon) Rodriguez.

Prosecutors had asked that Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty Monday, get life behind bars. Defense attorneys sought 15 to 25 years.

Officer Kevin Will, a 38-year-old father of two whose wife was pregnant, was killed instantly in the 2011 crash.

Prosecutors say Rodriguez's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit for driving and he'd been speeding when Will was struck. The officer was investigating an unrelated DWI wreck.

Evidence showed Rodriguez has twice been deported to Mexico.

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Illegal Immigrant Gets 55 Years for Officer Death

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