Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, recently granted clemency to a former police sergeant, Wesley Shifflett, who was convicted in connection with the shooting and killing of an unarmed man accused of stealing sunglasses. Shifflett, 36, was sentenced to three years in prison for recklessly handling a firearm in the incident that resulted in the death of 37-year-old Timothy McCree Johnson on February 22, 2023. Notably, Shifflett was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in Johnson's death.
In his statement, Governor Youngkin expressed his belief that the court's sentence was unjust and disproportionate, highlighting that Shifflett had been acquitted of the more serious charge of involuntary manslaughter. Youngkin emphasized Shifflett's lack of prior criminal record and his reputation as an exemplary police officer as factors in his decision to grant clemency.
