COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--A jury has recommended that the man convicted of killing two Westerville Police Officers serve a prison sentence of life without parole.
The jury deliberated for about five hours Wednesday on what sentence to recommend for Quentin Smith, who was convicted of killing officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering. The officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call at Smith's home in Febaruary 2018 when they were killed.
The jury could not come to a unanimous decision on the death penalty, prompting the sentence of life without parole. The same jury convicted Smith of the murders last week.
A statement Wednesday from Westerville police Chief Charles Chandler reads in part, "The verdict in this phase of the trial is met with many mixed emotions. The most important result of today is that the killer will not have the ability to harm anyone in society again. We will continue to move on with the healing process and support the Morelli and Joering families. We will also ensure the lives of our fallen brothers are celebrated and never forgotten."
(photo courtesy ABC-6)