PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - A jury found Nicholas Lindsey, 17, guilty on Friday of first-degree murder in the death of St. Petersburg police officer David Crawford.
Lindsey shot and killed Crawford in February, 2011. Crawford was investigating a report of a suspicious person when he confronted Lindsey. In response, Lindsey shot Crawford at least five times.
Crawford was the third of three police officers from St. Petersburg killed in the line of duty during the first two months of 2011.
Lindsey’s attorneys admitted during the trial their client had shot and killed Crawford, but argued he “panicked” when approached by Crawford. They made it clear they were pushing for a conviction on manslaughter, rather than first-degree murder.
During the trial, prosecutors played a video of Lindsey confessing to his parents that he had shot Crawford.
Lindsey was tried as an adult. He faces a mandatory life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.
He is not eligible for the death penalty because he is younger than 18 years old.
