Wisner Desmaret sentenced to life without parole in the slaying of FMPD officer
Relatives of slain Fort Myers Police officer Adam Jobbers-Miller wiped tears Monday as Judge Robert Branning announced the life sentence against Wisner Desmaret in the 2018 slaying.
"We do believe justice is served when Desmaret will never ever see the light of day again," State Attorney Amira Fox said after the announcement. "We are all satisfied with that."
Jobbers-Miller's family declined comment during sentencing, while Desmaret, 34, continued to say he was innocent.
"I guess I was the bad man doing crimes," Desmaret said.
A Lee County jury on April 14 recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole for Desmaret in the slaying of Jobbers-Miller, 29.
Desmaret had represented himself. Lee Hollander had remained as standby counsel throughout the guilt and penalty phases of the trial, but later filed a motion for new trial on Desmaret's behalf.
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Branning denied the motion on May 30.
Desmaret was convicted April 12 of fatally shooting officer Jobbers-Miller on July 21, 2018.
Jobbers-Miller had responded to a report of a stolen cellphone. Desmaret ran as Jobbers-Miller pursued him. After a scuffle, Desmaret shot him twice in the head with Jobbers-Miller's gun.
The jury had found Desmaret guilty on eight counts in the slaying: first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer; resisting an officer with violence; robbery; depriving an officer of their means of protection or communication; attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer; aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer; burglary of a conveyance; grand theft; and aggravated assault on an officer, firefighter or EMT.
Jobbers-Miller's sister, Nicole Miller, and uncle, David Miller, cleared tears off their faces as four family members of Desmaret visibly held the tears back.
"I felt like Amira Fox didn't legally prosecute me," Desmaret said during his sentencing. "I felt like this was all illegal."
State sought the death penalty
Fox and Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner prosecuted the case. The State Attorney's Office had sought the death penalty for Desmaret.
During a briefing after the sentencing concluded, Fox said justice had been served.
Desmaret's verdict arrived just days before new legislation would allow juries to recommend death in an 8-4 vote.
"We all respect up here what the law was at the time of the case," Fox said. "We have no choice but to respect that. And this jury did not unanimously find that the aggravators outweigh the mitigators."
Jobbers-Miller's family relies on penalty phase testimony
David Miller, the fallen officer's uncle who raised him, didn't add comment and asked the court to rely on his statements presented during the penalty phase.
Miller had said his nephew became interested in law enforcement when he was about 5 or 6 after he found a classmate’s father was in law enforcement.
About 2012, the Millers moved from New Jersey to Punta Gorda, with Jobbers-Miller soon following.
Fort Myers Police hired Jobbers-Miller when he graduated from the police academy.
"He loved his job," Miller had said.
Wisner Desmaret claims innocence
Desmaret's attitude was visibly more court-appropriate during his sentencing, compared to his trial, although he continued to challenge the legal system, saying he'd never been convicted of a charge.
"I don't have no records, nothing at all," Desmaret said.
Desmaret said jurors were favored law enforcement and that a lot had law enforcement family members.
"I didn't really understand what was going on," he said.
Desmaret said he felt like jurors didn't want to be present and just "went through" the motions.
"I feel like a lot of people didn’t look into what happened," Desmaret said.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Wisner Desmaret sentenced to life for 2018 slaying of FMPD officer
