Man Sentenced To 50 Years In Police Officer’s Shooting

JENNINGS, La. (AP) — A 32-year-old Louisiana man has been sentenced to 50- years in prison after a jury found him guilty of attempted first-degree murder of a Jennings police officer two years ago.

The American Press reports George Lowdins was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Ward Fontenot (FONT'-n-oh). Lowdins also was sentenced to 20 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Lowdins, who was found guilty in March, shot Sgt. Ricky Benoit (ben-WAH') in the neck at close range as Benoit and other officers were responding to a domestic disturbance in June 2014.

The bullet hit the left side of Benoit's neck and lodged in his back shoulder, shattering a vertebra and paralyzing him. He has regained limited use of his hands, arms and legs and continues to undergo rehabilitation for his injuries.

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