No Death Penalty for Ryan Frederick

Special Prosecutor Paul Ebert announced yesterday that he won't seek the death penalty against Ryan Frederick, the Chesapeake, Virginia man who killed a police detective during a botched drug raid last January.

Ebert said Frederick's lack of any prior criminal record and the fact that he shot just once would make it difficult to prove the aggravated battery necessary to get a death sentence.

Of course, both of those facts are also pretty good indicators that Frederick didn't intend to kill Det. Jarrod Shivers in the first place.

Stangely, Ebert cited Frederick's age as another reason he has decided not to seek the death penalty. Frederick is 28.

Prior coverage of the Frederick case here.