Weatherspoon gets two life sentences

Kim Smith

Monday, July 9, 2001 | 10:18 a.m.

Unmoved by claims of innocence, District Judge Donald Mosley imposed two life sentences upon a Las Vegas man convicted in a restaurant robbery that left a Metro Police officer sightless in one eye.

Markus Weatherspoon, 23, will have to spend at least 37 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

Weatherspoon is one of three men accused of robbing the Macayo Vegas restaurant on West Charleston Boulevard in June 2000. As they were leaving the restaurant, they ran into Officer Pete Rossi. One of them opened fire, striking Rossi in the face and causing him to lose the sight in one eye.

Weatherspoon took the stand during his trial in May and claimed he only participated in the robbery because the alleged shooter in the case, Darnell Harris, had threatened the life of his girlfriend.

The jury rejected Weatherspoon's story and convicted him of 13 of the 14 charges he faced.

When given the chance to speak at his sentencing Friday, Weatherspoon told Mosley he had proven his innocence at his trial.

Harris is expected to go to trial in January. The third suspected robber, Terrance Winn, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 to 50 years in prison. The getaway driver, Tamika Beavers, was given four to 10 years in prison.

Rossi, who has returned to work, did not comment during the hearing and declined to comment afterward.