A judge in Detroit has ruled that a security guard involved in the death of a man at a local mall in 2014 will not face additional jail time. The incident, which resulted in the tragic death of McKenzie Cochran, saw the guard, Lucius Hamilton, convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Hamilton, 61, was the only guard out of four charged in connection with Cochran's death to be convicted. The judge sentenced Hamilton to two days in jail, with credit for time served, following his guilty plea on the eve of trial. This decision marked a departure from the initial expectation of a 90-day jail sentence.
Hamilton's defense attorney had requested 90 days of house arrest, emphasizing his client's remorse and willingness to resolve the matter. The judge, influenced by these factors, opted for a lenient sentence, considering the trial outcomes of the other guards involved in the case.
The fatal encounter at Northland Center began when security guards were called to address Cochran's threatening behavior towards a jewelry shop owner. Despite attempts to subdue him, the situation escalated, leading to Cochran being pinned to the ground by multiple guards. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.
During the trial, defense attorneys argued that the guards were acting in self-defense and in the interest of public safety. An expert witness testified that Cochran could have been restrained within 30 seconds had he not resisted.
The case initially did not result in charges being filed by local prosecutors in 2014. However, Michigan's attorney general revisited the case in 2020 following the national outcry over the death of George Floyd. Prosecutors did not attribute Cochran's death to racial motives.
While the judge's decision has been met with mixed reactions, it underscores the complexities of balancing accountability and circumstances in cases of this nature.
