Othal Wallace guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter in killing of police officer

Othal Wallace was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter in the killing of Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor. He had been charged with first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer which carried a possible death sentence. Wallace faces up to 30 years in prison.

The jury also bypassed a second-degree murder charge, which is punishable by up to life in prison. Manslaughter was the lowest charge Wallace faced.

Wallace, 31, shot Raynor on June 23, 2021. The 26-year-old remained hospitalized until his death on Aug. 17, 2021.

Had Wallace been convicted as charged, prosecutors would have sought the death penalty. And they would have had an easier job getting a death sentence, since a law passed earlier this year requires just eight of 12 jurors to recommend death for the judge to have the option of imposing death. They previously needed a unanimous jury.

The Clay County jury also found that Wallace carried or used a firearm during the offense, doubling the possible prison sentence for manslaughter from 15 years to 30 years.

One of Wallace's defense attorneys, Tim Pribisco, said Wallace had questions about what penalty he could face but was relieved that he was not convicted of first-degree murder.

Raynor's family looked stern-faced and disappointed as they left the courtroom Saturday. They declined to speak with the media. A Daytona Beach Police officer in the gallery wiped at her eyes after the verdict was read.

Defense attorneys for Wallace exchanged hugs with Wallace's mother and two friends after the judge read the verdict and the jury filed out of the courtroom.

The jury of seven women and five men began deliberations about 10:30 a.m. Friday. They deliberated for about 11 1/2 hours before the judge sequestered them for the night. On Saturday morning, the jurors deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours before a juror knocked on the door and told a bailiff they had reached a verdict.

The shooting of officer Jason Raynor

Wallace was sitting in his car behind a Daytona Beach apartment building at 133 Kingston Ave. where he lived with the mother of two of his children. Raynor drove up in his marked patrol car, got out and walked up to Wallace. Raynor asked Wallace if he lived there. Wallace responded by asking what was going on. Wallace stood up out of his car, and Raynor told him several times to sit. The video became shaky as there was a brief struggle and Wallace drew his 9 mm Glock and shot Raynor.

Othal Wallace testifies in his defense

Wallace took the stand Thursday and said he had been sitting in his car smoking a Swisher Sweet cigarette about to walk into his apartment when Raynor appeared. Wallace said he was alone in the back of the building with no witnesses and believed what he feared most would happen to him. He said he drew his pistol when he saw Raynor reach for his waistband, where he knew the officer had his gun and other weapons.

But during cross examination, Assistant State Attorney Jason Lewis confronted Wallace about social media posts in which he wrote he would be proud to one day have "pig's blood" on his boots. Lewis asked him who he was referring to as "pigs." Wallace claimed he didn't mean police officers. Lewis then asked if he meant farm animals or piglets. Wallace said he meant anyone who did not treat him as a human being. In another message, Wallace wrote "these Crackas are not far from seein the blood of there own flowin thick in the gutters of America ... its war (sic)."

Closing arguments in Othal Wallace murder trial

Defense attorneys Terry Shoemaker, Pribisco and Garry Wood battled for an acquittal. Attorney Allison Ferber Miller selected the jury with the help of the other three attorneys.

Shoemaker and Pribisco told jurors during the trial that Wallace had been minding his own business and had not broken any laws when he suddenly found himself trapped by Raynor. Pribisco said Wallace feared for his life and defended himself. At least once during the trial and once during jury selection the defense brought up George Floyd and appeared to start to talk about related issues. Prosecutors objected and the judge sustained the objection.

Seventh Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza and Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak handled the closing arguments. Urbanak recounted Wallace's social media messages and testimony, saying Wallace refused to comply with Raynor. He said that Wallace was smoking marijuana in the car. He also noted that Wallace didn't have a permit to carry a concealed gun.

Larizza made the second half of the state's closing argument. Larizza said Raynor was polite and courteous to Wallace, who responded by shooting him.

Larizza said Wallace did not have a right to shoot Raynor. If Wallace believed his rights were being violated, then that's what courts were for. Instead, Larizza said, Wallace put a bullet in Raynor's head.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Othal Wallace verdict: Guilty of manslaughter in killing of police officer