A Montgomery County man who assaulted a police officer during an altercation in which the man was shot five times was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in jail. Ingham "Andre" DeFreitas, 32, also faces five years of probation as a result of his encounter last year with a police officer in the Darnestown area.
The case proved contentious to the end. Prosecutors said DeFreitas had himself to blame for what occurred. A defense attorney said the officer's conduct underscored the department's failure to provide proper training in the use of force. In handing down the sentence, Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Algeo leaned toward the prosecution. "This is not about police brutality or police conduct," he said. "This is about Mr. DeFreitas, who was convicted by a jury of assault in the second degree."
Algeo also pointed to DeFreitas's criminal history - including auto theft and drug convictions - and recent drug tests indicating that he had repeatedly smoked marijuana. "That speaks volumes to me," Algeo said.
DeFreitas, who was not armed during the encounter 12 months ago, still has one arm in a sling. Before bailiffs led him out of court, they tried to handcuff him, but his hand appeared to go limp when part of the sling was removed. SOURCE: Washington Post
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