Killer of Hollywood police officer sentenced. He’s off to prison for life
A Broward judge on Wednesday formally sentenced Jason Banegas, who was 18 when he shot and killed a Hollywood police officer, to spend the rest of his life in prison.
The sentence, handed down by Broward Circuit Court Judge Ernest Kollra, came after a 12-person jury in December voted to sentence Banegas, now 23, to life behind bars for the murder of Hollywood police officer Yandy Chirino, 28.
Banegas, who fatally shot Chirino during a scuffle in the Emerald Hills neighborhood of Hollywood on Oct. 17, 2021, was facing the death penalty.
Family members and supporters of Chirino didn’t speak during the brief sentencing hearing, although they packed the courtroom Wednesday afternoon. Neither did Banegas, who was whisked away by deputies to be fingerprinted after his sentence was meted out.
During the trial, prosecutors argued Banegas should be sent to Florida’s Death Row because he targeted Chirino — a police officer — when he shot and killed him. Defense attorneys urged jurors to spare Banegas because of his troubled upbringing, which was filled with abuse, neglect and violence.
Chirino, a cop of four years, had confronted Banegas, who was on a bicycle breaking into cars when Chirino tried to arrest him, prosecutors say. In October, Banegas pleaded guilty to all charges stemming from the killing.
From the moment of his arrest, Banegas confessed that he was breaking into cars — and told detectives that he shot Chirino in the face during a botched attempt to take his own life, according to court documents. The officer was supposed to be off on the Sunday he was killed; Banegas had been recently released from a “high-risk” detention center.
In March, Banegas tried to withdraw his guilty plea, saying his attorneys influenced him to plead guilty by telling him his family would be targeted for deportation and that he would be executed within five years. Kollra denied Banegas’ request.
READ MORE: Man who confessed to killing Hollywood cop can’t undo guilty plea, judge rules
During jury selection in October, Banegas abruptly pleaded guilty to shooting Chirino.
Also on Wednesday, Banegas was sentenced to four decades in prison for a string of car break-ins.
