LEESBURG, Va. – A Virginia judge will decide this week whether to impose a 74-year prison sentence that a jury set for a retired Army major who shot and wounded two sheriff’s deputies.
Several jurors who convicted Douglas Vernon Johnson Jr., 54, told the Washington Post that they either believed they were giving him a lower sentence or wish they had the power to do so.
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The Loudoun County Circuit Court judge who is scheduled to sentence Johnson on Wednesday can reduce the jury’s punishment.
Defense attorney Edward Ungvarsky is asking for a 20-year prison term.
Five jurors signed affidavits for the defense saying they thought Johnson deserved a chance to be released earlier.