“Dorn, 77, was shot outside Lee’s Jewelry & Pawn shop at 4123 Martin Luther King Drive when he showed up to stop looters who had descended on the business during violence and destruction that followed protests over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Prosecutors argued that as looters ransacked the shelves of the pawn shop that morning, Cannon fled to the street corner, crouched and fired 10 shots at Dorn, killing him as he approached the shop and fired off warning shots to stop the looter,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
A now-deleted Facebook Live video reportedly depicted Capt. Dorn as he lay dying on the sidewalk after being shot. Prosecutors gained access to it, however, and played it for the jury.
In very broad strokes, murder in the first degree requires a finding of premeditation or planning of some sort.
Cannon’s sentencing is scheduled for September 13 where could receive a life sentence without parole. Prosecutors opted not to seek the death penalty in this case.
In the meantime, Cannon’s lawyer — who claimed that no physical evidence linked his client to the pawn shop — indicated that he plans to appeal the verdict or file a motion for a retrial.
Two looters arrested in connection to brutal and senseless killing of beloved retired Police Captain David Dorn https://t.co/oBbovYj6Vx
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) June 8, 2020
Cannon did not take the witness stand during the trial.
Dorn retired from the St. Louis police in 2007 after 38 years of service and subsequently was police chief of nearby Moline Acres, Mo., for six years. Dorn’s wife Ann was also a longtime St. Louis cop. After the verdict, Ann told local media that “I’m very thankful to the jurors who saw the truth and all the evidence…I don’t want to say we can move on. There’s never gonna be full closure, but it brings us peace.”
She also praised prosecutor Marvin Teer for the outstanding way he handled the case.
The defense had challenged the credibility of the main witness against Cannon, a co-defendant who reportedly struck a plea deal with prosecutors for testifying against Cannon. That man is due in court on Thursday, during which the expectation is that authorities will drop a pending second-degree murder charge. He also faces other charges.
“After the slaying, investigators reportedly recovered a pistol, televisions and pieces of Cannon’s dreadlocks from an apartment where he was staying, but did not locate the handgun that Cannon is believed to have used in the shooting,” Fox News reported.
Authorities have charged several other men in connection with the pawn shop looting.
“While nothing can bring Capt. Dorn back to his loved ones, Mr. Cannon has been held accountable for the crimes committed in the City of St. Louis, and justice has been served,” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner said after the verdict was announced.
