DALLAS — A former Texas A&M football player has been sentenced to life in prison for the slaying of a Dallas jogger who was hacked to death with a machete in 2015.
A Dallas County jury found Thomas Johnson guilty of murder Tuesday for the seemingly random killing of David Stevens and returned the sentence Wednesday. Johnson was accused of waiting on a trail in East Dallas four years ago and attacking the 53-year-old mechanical engineer as he ran by.
Years of legal dispute focused on whether Johnson was mentally competent to stand trial. The 25-year-old former wide receiver pleaded not guilty but the defense called no witnesses.
Johnson’s lawyers asked for leniency saying he was not in his right mind during the attack.
This article was originally published by Espn.com. Read the original article here.