Plea agreement for cop killer

[Local]

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St. Paul man pleads guilty to role in killing of Maplewood Police Sergeant

A 21-year-old St. Paul man, charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and kidnapping in the ambush slaying of Maplewood police Sgt. Joe Bergeron two months ago, pleaded guilty Thursday to both counts.

Joshua M. Martin will be sentenced to 35 1/2 years in prison as part of the plea arrangement in Ramsey County District Court.

Bergeron, 49, was shot in the head in his squad car east of St. Paul's Lake Phalen while he was responding to a report of a carjacking.

A jogger saw Jason Jones shoot Bergeron, according to the criminal complaint. Martin and Jones were suspects in the carjacking.

Jones, 21, was shot and killed by St. Paul police officer David Longbehn after the two struggled during the ensuing manhunt.

A plea agreement for his role in murdering a cop? Why sentencing guidelines keep judges from being able to put a guy like that away for life without parole is beyond me.

[cwtlady]

He distracted the officer so the other one could commit murder.

People who kill officers need a sentence that is fitting. I guess Minnesota doesn't have the death penalty, neither does Wisconsin.

[2 Blue 4 U]

That is an absolute disgrace and a total injustice, not just to the murdered Officer & family, but to all police officers and to society.