New charges filed in murder of SPD officer
SEATTLE - King County prosecutors have re-filed murder charges against the man they say shot and killed a Seattle police officer 13-years ago.
Quentin Ervin, 30, has already served more than a decade in prison for the shooting death of Officer Antonio Terry.
In 1994, Officer Terry stopped to offer help Ervin and Eric Smiley when their car stalled on an I-5 off ramp. Prosecutors say there was an exchange of gunfire and Terry was wounded.
He managed to drive away from the scene, but died later that night.
After one of the longest trials in King County history and five weeks of deliberation, jurors found Quentin Ervin guilty of felony murder. That conviction was vacated by a Supreme Court ruling known as the Andress decision.
On Tuesday, prosecutors re-filed aggravated murder charges against Ervin after winning a court decision allowing them to do so. Ervin pleaded not guilty.
Officer Terry's family has been fighting to keep Ervin behind bars, and they were there in King County Superior court on Tuesday.
Terry's wife Cheryl said it doesn't matter how much time has passed. "It's still very difficult," she said. "At some point we need to be able to continue forward with our lives and not have to revisit this. We just want it over and done with and justice served for Antonio."
Vanessa, who was by her mother's side in court, was 13 when her father was killed. "Our family's been hurting for so long," she said. "It's a constant reminder, every time we have to come back, of what we're missing."
Venessa and Cheryl said they will be there for the new trial. "We will sit through this and see it through," Cheryl said while wiping away tears.
Deputy Prosecutor Scott O'Toole said retrying old cases is always challenging. "You've got to find witnesses and you've got to see if witnesses recalled what occurred," he said, adding that the prosecutor's office would do whatever it takes keep Ervin in prison.
If convicted of aggravated murder, Ervin would be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The judge has not yet set a date for the new trial.
Quentin Ervin, 30, has already served more than a decade in prison for the shooting death of Officer Antonio Terry.
In 1994, Officer Terry stopped to offer help Ervin and Eric Smiley when their car stalled on an I-5 off ramp. Prosecutors say there was an exchange of gunfire and Terry was wounded.
He managed to drive away from the scene, but died later that night.
After one of the longest trials in King County history and five weeks of deliberation, jurors found Quentin Ervin guilty of felony murder. That conviction was vacated by a Supreme Court ruling known as the Andress decision.
On Tuesday, prosecutors re-filed aggravated murder charges against Ervin after winning a court decision allowing them to do so. Ervin pleaded not guilty.
Officer Terry's family has been fighting to keep Ervin behind bars, and they were there in King County Superior court on Tuesday.
Terry's wife Cheryl said it doesn't matter how much time has passed. "It's still very difficult," she said. "At some point we need to be able to continue forward with our lives and not have to revisit this. We just want it over and done with and justice served for Antonio."
Vanessa, who was by her mother's side in court, was 13 when her father was killed. "Our family's been hurting for so long," she said. "It's a constant reminder, every time we have to come back, of what we're missing."
Venessa and Cheryl said they will be there for the new trial. "We will sit through this and see it through," Cheryl said while wiping away tears.
Deputy Prosecutor Scott O'Toole said retrying old cases is always challenging. "You've got to find witnesses and you've got to see if witnesses recalled what occurred," he said, adding that the prosecutor's office would do whatever it takes keep Ervin in prison.
If convicted of aggravated murder, Ervin would be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The judge has not yet set a date for the new trial.