A former Memphis Police Department officer was sentenced to 38 years in prison Monday for kidnapping and killing a man while on duty.
Patric J. Ferguson, 34, pleaded guilty in August to civil rights, firearms, kidnapping and obstruction charges connected with the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Robert Howard.
“This defendant committed a premeditated murder while using his position as a police officer, not to protect the Memphis community, but to perpetuate this horrendous crime and shield himself from suspicion and liability,” Assistant Attorney General Harriet K. Dhillon of the U.S Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division stated in a Monday press release.
“While no prison sentence can undo the defendant’s heartless crimes, today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable and sends a clear message that no one is above the law,” Dhillon stated.