JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A Florida man has been sentenced to more than 300 years in prison for trying to kill a federal judge in what prosecutors said was an assassination attempt.
Media reports show the 343-year sentence was imposed Friday by a Jacksonville judge on 27-year-old Aaron Richardson. A jury convicted Richardson in March of 24 charges stemming from the June 2013 attempt to shoot U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan.
Trial evidence showed Richardson hid in bushes outside Corrigan’s home and fired a single shot inside with a high-powered rifle, missing the judge by inches. Evidence also showed Richard faced going to prison for violating probation previously imposed by Corrigan for a 2008 firebombing attack.
Prosecutors urged a lengthy sentence for what they called an attempt to assassinate the judge by Richardson.