A 76-year prison sentence has been handed a man convicted of first-degree murder in the 2010 death of an off-duty Chicago police officer.
Bernard Williams was found guilty last year in the death of Officer David Blake. Prosecutors said the then-18-year-old Williams killed the officer and raided a gun safe at his house. Blake was dating Williams' sister at the time.
No physical evidence linked Williams to the killing of the 45-yer-old Blake, nor was the murder weapon recovered. However, several of Williams' friends testified he tried to recruit them to help in the murder and robbery, and that he confessed to them after killing Blake.
Before sentencing, Williams told a courtroom packed with Chicago police officers that he was sorry for their loss, but he "did not commit this crime."
