BRIGHTON — A judge sentenced a convicted killer to the maximum possible sentence Monday for the murder of Aurora police Detective Mike Thomas.
Judge C. Vincent Phelps handed down the 80-year prison sentence in Adams County District Court to 30-year-old Brian Washington, who was convicted last month of second-degree murder for killing Thomas, 52.
At one point during the sentencing, one of Washington’s aunts turned to Thomas’ family and offered an apology. Thomas’ mother, Norma, however, rebuked the offering.
“Mr. Washington hasn’t asked for forgiveness, so I look at it this way: Why should I give it to him?” Norma Thomas said after the sentencing. “He don’t care. He’d go out and do it again.”
Washington’s aunt talked to the media about forgiveness after the sentencing as well.
“One thing I live on and I base my life on is: If we don’t learn to forgive, we cannot be forgiven,” Iola Washington said.
Thomas was on duty, driving his personal car, and was not in uniform when he was shot at the intersection of Peoria Street and Montview Boulevard in September 2006.
He was heading from one training center to another at the time.
Washington admitted to the killing, but a jury rejected his insanity defense.
Last month, Washington was also found guilty of attempted first-degree assault on a peace officer and second-degree assault on a peace officer. Those charges stem from an altercation with Officer Scott Osgood, who arrived on the scene after the shooting.
Washington received a 48-year sentence for the second-degree- murder conviction and a pair of 16-year sentences for the assault charges, totaling 80 years behind bars.
The judge ruled the 80-year sentence will run consecutively to a 26-year sentence Washington is already serving for an unrelated shooting that happened two days before Thomas was shot and killed. That will virtually guarantee Washington will spend the rest of his life in prison.
