Man gets life for Lakeland police officer killing

BARTOW, Fla. — A central Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a Lakeland police officer.

A Polk County judge sentenced 21-year-old Kyle Williams on Tuesday. A jury convicted him last week of first-degree murder. Prosecutors had been seeking the death penalty, but jurors recommended the life sentence.

Authorities say Officer Arnulfo Crispin was attempting to perform a pat-down search of Williams and four other young men in December 2011 when Williams shot the officer in the head.

Defense attorneys argued one of the four men with Williams was the actual killer.

WFTV