Man who shot at cop gets 152 years

Man who shot at cop gets 152 years

Farmer convicted of attempted murder, additional charges in May 2017 incident

ralphhardin@gmail.com A Crittenden County jury sent a very strong message to area criminals last Friday evening — take a shot at a cop and you will pay the price.

Jaylen Farmer, 21, was convicted late last week on one count of Attempted Capital Murder, 16 counts of Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm from a Vehicle, one count of Fleeing, and 18 counts of Using a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.

A jury of six men and six women found Farmer guilty on all charges and sentenced Farmer to a total of 152 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The jury’s recommendations included a sentence of 48 years for the Attempted Capital Murder charge, eight years for Fleeing, and a total of 96 years (six years for each of 16 counts) of Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm from a Vehicle, to be served consecutively. Circuit Judge John Fogleman followed the jury’s recommendation.

Farmer was one of two men charged when a passenger in a vehicle opened fire at a West Memphis Police Officer during a routine traffic stop on May 19, 2017. The officer was trying to pull the vehicle over for a traffic violation when Farmer leaned out of the window with an AK-47 rifle and opened fire on the officer, striking his patrol vehicle several times.

“As prosecutors, our job focuses on public safety, and I hope that this verdict and sentence sends a strong message to those who have no regard for the safety or the lives of those who live and work in our community,” said Second Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said.

“The members of the West Memphis Police Department and officers of all the other agencies in our state lay their lives on the line daily. Violence against those who protect us will not be tolerated. I appreciate the hard work Deputy Prosecutors Tom Young and Matthew Coe put into preparing and prosecuting this case.”

Deputy Prosecutor Tom Young of West Memphis added, “Our community is sick of gun violence perpetuated by gangs, and the jury clearly agreed. I also want to thank the West Memphis Police Department for their hard work handling of this difficult case.”

By Ralph Hardin