Jury recommends life in prison for man who killed Hollywood Police officer in 2021

A jury has recommended life in prison for a man who pleaded guilty to murdering a Hollywood Police officer back in 2021.

The jury gave its recommendation on Monday in the case of Jason Banegas, who pleaded guilty in October in the killing of Officer Yandy Chirino.

Jurors were deciding whether to give Banegas life behind bars or the death penalty, but after about two hours of deliberations, they came back with the life sentence recommendation.

For Banegas to have received the death penalty, eight out of 12 jurors would have needed to recommend it, and the judge would have needed to agree.

Banegas, now 22, was 18 years old when he encountered Officer Chirino as police searched for a burglary suspect in Hollywood back in October of 2021.

The two wrestled for a gun, and Banegas shot Chirino twice.

During the sentencing trial, defense attorneys insisted that Banegas be shown mercy because of a traumatic and anxiety-filled upbringing.

They said he struggled with depression and anxiety since he was a child, but was never violent.