Ex-cop sentenced in Marlo delivery shooting

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - A former Prince George's County police officer and homeland security official who shot two furniture deliverymen was sentenced to 45 years in prison Tuesday.

Before his sentence, former police Cpl. Keith Allen Washington apologized to the family of Brandon Clark, the man he killed, as well as the surviving deliveryman, Robert White.

Washington apologized to the community for "the spectacle" of his shooting, but said he lived his life standing for what is right. He said if he could have the moment back, he wouldn't have shot the two men.

Washington said after being judged by a jury of his peers, he's ready to go willingly to serve his sentence.

Often fighting back tears, Washington repeatedly mouthed, "I love you" to his wife and daughter during the sentencing.

"Keith Washington is now and will forever be my hero," Washington's wife said.

Clark's mother left the courtroom as Washington began talking.

"I didn't want to hear it," Clark's mother said. "If he would've said he was sorry months ago, or a year ago, then maybe I would've considered it."

In February, Washington was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and two counts of using a handgun in a crime of violence and assault.

He faced a maximum of 70 years and a minimum of 10 years in prison for his gun convictions.

Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says the sentence was appropriate for a person who opened fire "basically because bedroom furniture was delivered late."

Washington was deputy director of the county's homeland security department when he shot two unarmed furniture delivery men in his Accokeek home on Jan. 24, 2007.

One of the delivery men, 22-year-old Brandon Clark, died of his wounds nine days later. His co-worker, Robert White, was seriously injured.

Washington, 46, said he fired in self-defense.

During the trial, Washington testified that the two men were savagely beating him and that he fired blindly to get them off of him.

White told the jury that the shootings were unprovoked.

Washington's attorneys had tried to delay the sentencing until after his case is appealed.

Corrections officials allegedly found a handcuff key in Washington's shirt while he was being transported from the county detention center to a jail in Calvert County.

Washington has been separated from the rest of the prison population, as is often done when a police officer is behind bars.

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