Orlando, Florida
August 10, 2009

The men convicted of killing an Orlando police officer have been sentenced to life in prison by Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., a chief judge for the Ninth Circuit in Orange County, Florida.

Davon Smith and Hugo Terry were sentenced today for the killing of Orlando Police Officer Alfred Gordon during a robbery outside a Pine Hills ATM in 2007. Officer Gordon was off duty at the time.

Family members commented on how difficult the last two years have been for them and how they are ready for the healing process to begin.

Terry turned down a 25-year sentence plea bargain agreement before his trial started and refused to cooperate with the investigation which Judge Perry referenced during the sentencing.

Judge Perry: … Because you hold yourself to a street code… a street code of not snitching… you will pay a very severe penalty. You will never, never walk this Earth again as a free man.

Chief Val Demings of the Orlando Police Department reinforced that idea with this statement:

Chief Val Demings: …The message today, going forward, hopefully will encourage other young people to step forward and do the right thing. Its not so much about helping the police, or helping an individual, it is about doing the right thing…

We hope that other young people involved in criminal activity will take these words to heart and understand that their involvement in crime, no matter how slight, can have a huge impact upon the rest of their lives.