A life without parole sentence is off the table for a man standing trial for the 2017 fatal shooting of an Indiana police officer.
Jason Dane Brown, 32, faces a murder charge in the deadly shooting of Southport Lt. Aaron Allan.
In December, the Marion County prosecutor’s office agreed to drop their death penalty request in exchange for the judge, instead of a jury, hearing the case. On Friday, Marion Superior Court Judge Mark Stoner said the prosecution had not established evidence for a life without parole sentence.
The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its case on Monday.
Brown faces up to 65 years in prison on the murder charge.
Authorities said Allan was trying to help Brown after the single-car crash on the south side of Indianapolis. Witnesses at the scene told authorities Brown suddenly became agitated and opened fire, striking the officer 11 times.
Two other officers opened fire on Brown following Allan’s shooting. He was hospitalized for several days with what authorities said were gunshot wounds to his face, left arm and right clavicle.
Allan, a 38-year-old married father of two sons, was hired in January 2017 as a second full-time officer for Southport’s largely volunteer police force after about five years as a volunteer officer for the 2,000-person municipality on the south side of Indianapolis.