Former Phoenix Officer Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter

A former Phoenix police officer pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday in a deal that spares him another trial on charges of second-degree murder and animal cruelty.

Richard Chrisman was convicted of aggravated assault in September, but the jury failed to reach verdicts on the other two counts. A retrial had been set for January.

Under the deal with prosecutors, Chrisman faces a sentence of seven to 14 years in prison. The animal cruelty charge was dropped.

Sentencing for the assault conviction and the manslaughter charge is set for Dec. 20. He faces anywhere from five to 15 years in prison for the assault, but both sentences will run concurrently.

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