#Otis McKane convicted of killing Texas cop Benjamin Marconi

A Texas man unanimously convicted of killing a San Antonio police officer in an ambush-style attack in 2016 was sentenced to death on Friday night.

Otis McKane, 31, was handed the death penalty by a Bexar County jury after nearly eight hours of deliberation. He was found guilty of capital murder last month for the execution-style slaying of beloved SAPD Detective Benjamin Marconi, 50, outside of police headquarters nearly five years ago.

Extra officers were on staff for the sentencing hearing after McKane attacked a bailiff, hitting in him in the face with his elbow, on July 27, when he learned of his guilty conviction, reported KENS5.

The slain officer’s family was in the gallery at the time of the sentencing, along with many uniformed officers. Marconi’s stepdaughter wore a mask with his badge number and the words “Marconi Strong,” the outlet reported.

Marconi’s family released a statement following the sentencing, thanking those who supported them through the trial.

“Thank you to the many friends and family who attended the trial, we are deeply humbled for the amount of love, prayer and grace we felt through each and every one of you,” the family said in its statement, obtained by KENS5. “And finally, to Detective Benjamin Edward Marconi—thank you for making our lives better, and the lives of everyone you touched. You are eternally missed and we will never forget you — rest easy sweet Ben.”

The detective was sitting in his patrol car writing a traffic ticket in November 2016 when he was randomly shot by McKane. Following the shooting, McKane said that he was angry with the court system because he had not been allowed to see his son during a custody battle and that he “lashed out at someone who didn’t deserve it.”

Prosecutors said that McKane was a delusional narcissist who poses a danger to the community. The defense argued there wasn’t enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that McKane would be violent again, according to reports.

Jacy Reeves, Marconi’s stepdaughter, had testified on Wednesday for the prosecution on her father’s behalf, as did Marconi’s brother Thomas.

“He was so kind and gentle with children that I believe he couldn’t wait to help mold our children into the people they would become,” Reeves testified, according to KENS5. “I have always thought of myself as a strong person, but since then, it feels like I have to be stronger because he was such a strong person and I want that to stay alive and I want to be a good example for him.”