SHELBY, N.C. — The man accused of killing a Shelby K-9 Police Officer in 2016 pleaded guilty in court Tuesday morning.
Irving Fenner Jr. pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the shooting death of Officer Tim Brackeen when Brackeen was trying to serve warrants on him in September 2016. Fenner was arrested in Rhode Island a few days later.
Prosecutors were seeking the death penalty against Fenner. His guilty plea was made to avoid the death penalty.
He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Three years ago, Brackeen's father said the family was in agreement on their perspective of Fenner.
"If my son was here, that my son would tell him that he does not hate him and that there's no hatred and I wanted to share that with him," Jim Brackeen previously said.
District Attorney Michael Miller released a statement on the guilty plea saying, in part:
The murder of a law enforcement officer is different from other murders not because the man or woman behind the badge is any more valuable than any other man or woman. The pain and suffering of the family of a murdered law enforcement officer is no greater than the pain and suffering of the family of other murder victims. The pain and loss is so great it cannot be measured by man. Our office realizes and appreciates this fact.
The murder of a police officer is different because it represents an attack on every law abiding citizen in the community. The men and women who put on the badge represent us. We, as a community, have given them the power and authority to act on our behalf in bringing dangerous and violent criminals to justice. The willingness of the women and men of law enforcement to shoulder the responsibility of protecting each of us should be backed up by a community that is willing to impose a penalty of death to one who murders one of our protectors.
The State’s decision to allow Mr. Fenner to accept responsibility for the murder of Office Tim Brackeen without facing a sentence of death was made after a careful analysis of the law in the State as to the charge of murder and the facts and circumstances surrounding Mr. Fenner’s murder of Officer Brackeen.
Officer Brackeen's brother, Pastor Stephen Brackeen, stood in front of Fenner Tuesday and told him he destroyed the lives of many, including Officer Brackeen's wife and daughter.
"Your punishment is a debt to both of our families," Pastor Brackeen said. "Yours and mine. It's a debt to all of society and the officers in this room."
Officer Brackeen's father, Jim Brackeen, described his son as a faithful man who loved his family and his job.
"My son was and is a hero, and he will never be forgotten and we will make sure of that," he said.
Fenner's defense attorney, Victoria Jayne, spoke on his behalf.
She said her client accepts responsibility by pleading guilty to murdering Officer Brackeen and spending the rest of his life in prison.
"We feel your anger and your sorrow," Jayne said. "We feel a community that stings here, and there's nothing we can do to change that. There's nothing that Irving can do to change that right now. We view this as merciful justice."
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