RICHLAND — Gov. Jay Inslee has blocked the release of a man imprisoned for almost killing a Richland police officer 32 years ago.
The Tri-City Herald reported Tuesday that Jerry Lain had been granted parole by a state review board, but the governor blocked his release.
It’s at least the sixth time Lain has been blocked from leaving prison. The law enforcement community in the Tri-City region had been lobbying to block his release.
Lain was convicted in 1982 of attacking Officer Mike Fitzpatrick. Lain stabbed Fitzpatrick seven times and shot him twice with the officer’s gun when he was investigating a car prowl. Fitzpatrick suffered a shattered jaw, severe stomach injuries and nearly fatal cuts to his arms. Lain received a maximum sentence of life in prison for the attack.
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