Convicted Cop Killer's Sentence Reduced by Court

The man convicted in the 2009 murder of Tampa Police Cpl. Mike Roberts has had his death sentence reduced to life with no chance for patrol.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday to take the death sentence off the table for Humberto Delgado Jr., according to The Tampa Tribune.

Delgado, 40, was convicted of first-degree felony murder, carrying a concealed firearm, depriving a law enforcement officer of his means of communication and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer in 2012, the paper noted. Those convictions still stand, but the death penalty does not.

“We respect the justice system and those who have to make tough decisions,” Chief Jane Castor said in a prepared statement following the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Regardless of the conclusion, it doesn’t bring Mike back and it doesn’t relieve the pain that his wife, son and his TPD family feel. His life sentence will still ensure he is held accountable for his actions.”

Roberts was shot and killed on Aug. 19, 2009, after stopping to question Delgado, who fled. Roberts used a stun gun on him and a scuffle ensued, during which the officer was shot.

The court reduced the sentence because of expert testimony that Delgado suffers from mental illness, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Booking photo from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

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