BRIGHTON, Colo.-
A man accused of shooting and killing an Aurora police officer won’t face the death penalty, prosecutors announced Monday.
Brian Allen Washington, 27, faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Detective Mike Thomas, along with seven other counts, including attempted first-degree murder of a second officer who arrived at the scene.
Washington is accused of shooting Detective Mike Thomas Sept. 20 while Thomas was in his personal car at an intersection.
Adams County District Attorney Don Quick in a statement said he decided not seek the death penalty after reviewing evidence and consulting with Aurora police and Thomas’ family.
During a hearing Monday, Todd Nelson, Washington’s attorney, said Washington intends to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason on insanity.
Washington was not at the hearing because he was undergoing a mental health evaluation at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo as part of an unrelated case in Denver, where he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, Quick and Nelson said.
Washington faces charges in the shooting of a woman who was in her car at a stop sign two days before Thomas was killed.
According to court documents, Washington told Aurora police after Thomas’ death: “I am a prophet,” and “It’s OK, I’m federal, I’m with the nation.”
Police said Washington’s mother told investigators that her son had begun talking about “how he was God” in the months before the shootings.
