"I don't care about his soul; I care about his mortality. I want him to spend the rest of his life in prison"

Zachary Harrison got into a fight in jail this weekend in which he sustained an injury. Judge Kaleb Cockrum was contacted over the weekend for a probable cause declaration.
Harrison was in court with his right hand in a cast.



Motion to dismiss the 25 to life firearm enhancement was denied by Judge Cockrum and he sentenced convicted murderer Harrison 50 years to life in prison this morning.

A jury found Harrison guilty of first degree murder. The special allegation was found to be true. Victim was Robert Holtsclaw.

The sentence for first degree murder in California is 25 years-to-life in prison. The special allegation of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm and causing great bodily injury can result in an additional 10, 20 or 25-years to life in prison.

The prosecutor for the case is Deputy District Attorney Adrian Kamada. Harrison's attorney is Deputy Public Defender Luke Brownfield.

Statements by Patricia Holtsclaw, the victim's sister and Amanda Lopez, the victim's daughter, included memories and the pain Harrison had inflicted on the family. Mr. Kamada read Lopez's statement.

Patricia Holtsclaw said she sat behind Harrison in court and he showed no remorse, was cavalier and laughed and smiled at her in court; even after the verdict. She thanked former Deputy District Attorney Joel Buckingham who was the original prosecutor, Mr. Kamada and law enforcement.

Patricia Holtsclaw, Mr. Kamada and Judge Cockrum all spoke about how Harrison attacked Robert Holtsclaw who could not defend himself and was in a vulnerable position because he could not see Harrison who used a rifle from a distance. The firearm is used to kill large animals.

Patricia Holtsclaw and Amanda Lopez called Harrison a coward. Patricia Holtsclaw said that Harrison fled the scene and hid after taking her brother's life.

"I don't care about his soul; I care about his mortality. I want him to spend the rest of his life in prison," said Patricia Holtsclaw.

While there were mitigating factors such as Harrison's childhood which included physical abuse, Judge Cockrum said it did not overcome the value of Robert Holtsclaw's life and the circumstances of the crime.

Harrison has custodial credits for 512 actual days. He has to pay a restitution fine of $10,000; $40 court operations fee and $30 criminal assessment fee.

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