Woman gets 5 years for aiding the killing of 4 Washington police officers

Woman gets 5 years for aiding killing of officers

TACOMA, Wash. — A woman convicted of rendering criminal assistance in the shooting deaths of four Lakewood police officers was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison — half the time sought by prosecutors.

Pierce County Deputy Prosecutor Kevin McCann had asked for a 10-year sentence for LaTanya Clemmons.

But Judge Stephanie Arend ruled that five years was the maximum she could give under sentencing guidelines and jury findings.

After deliberating for three days, the jury found Clemmons guilty last week of two counts of first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

The 34-year-old Clemmons is the sister of Maurice Clemmons, an ex-convict who gunned down the officers in November at a Parkland coffee shop as they started their day.

Maurice Clemmons was shot by one of the dying officers but managed to escape. He was killed two days later by a Seattle police officer during a manhunt.

Prosecutors said LaTanya Clemmons paid for a motel room and bus fare for alleged getaway driver Darcus Allen. He is awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to aggravated murder charges.

Clemmons is the mother of a 6-year-old daughter.

Killed in the attack were Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronald Owens.

____

Information from: The News Tribune, www.thenewstribune.com