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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – On Wednesday, November 16, Ronnie Kato pled guilty to first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with a shooting that ended the life of a BRPD officer.

Lt. Glenn Dale Hutto Jr. and Curtis Richardson were shot and killed on Sunday, April 26, 2020.

Cpl. Derrick Maglone was injured in that same shooting.

Kato will be spending the rest of his life behind bars.

The sentences dolled out against Kato are provided below:

  • First-degree murder: Life in Prison
  • Manslaughter: 40 years
  • Attempted first-degree murder: 50 years

District Attorney Hillar C. Moore, III released this statement about what happened in this case:

This is a tough and emotional day for these families, the BR family as well as the greater BR Criminal justice community.” Sgt. Glenn Dale Hutto was a friend of all of us as if Officer Maglone. Although we did not know Mr. Curtis Richardson his actions and our discussions with with his family members tell us he was of the same character.

The death penalty would have been an appropriate verdict for this defendant but it would have traumatized and killed these families especially the Hutto family. Today’s plea spares them from the grueling pain of having to see this father of four, husband, proud son, brother and friend die in front of them and the public captured on body camera and police radio. It further spares them the agony of what is normally 20 plus years of appeals in death penalty cases. Any human being who watches and listens to this evidence would be brought to tears and rage. It is totally reprehensible.

Both of these men reacted courageously in the face of violent and deadly attacks. One protecting his step daughter and the other running toward imminent danger to protect lives of those he did not know as well as protecting all of us. He and his partner were clearly ambushed by evil. Despite the ambush he fought heroically to survive and protect his partners and the other officers who were near. He gave every ounce until the end.

This case highlights the dangers that officers face when dealing with domestic violence incidents. The power and control that an offender seeks to gain over his partner is the same over others that attempt to stand in his way. These are very dangerous situations.

Please respect the privacy the families wish and the pain that they have and are still enduring. It does not end today. It is hopefully the beginning of what surely will be a long and unknown journey.

Hillar Moore