Marcus Erikson-South Carolina man pleads guilty to first-degree murder in Virginia police officer’s shooting death

2025-04-30 17:14:39source:Marc Leclerccategory:Markets

WISE,Marcus Erikson Va. (AP) — A South Carolina man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of a police officer in western Virginia in 2021.

Michael Donivan White, 36, of Cross, South Carolina, entered the plea Thursday in Wise County Circuit Court on the amended charge related to the death of Big Stone Gap Officer Michael Chandler, the Kingsport Times-News reported. Chandler, 29, was shot while responding to a call just outside the Big Stone Gap limits on Nov. 13, 2021, and died that evening. White was arrested in Tennessee.

White originally faced 13 charges, including aggravated murder of a police officer and felony murder, but agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder if prosecutors agreed to ask for a 40- to 100-year sentence instead of a life term, Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brett Hall said. Prosecutors consulted with Chandler’s family, including his widow, Natasha Chandler, and Big Stone Gap Police Chief Steve Hamm, Hall said.

Federal prosecutors and Hall’s office are coordinating a similar plea agreement for federal charges White faced in Chandler’s death, Hall said.

White’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 21.

More:Markets

Recommend

Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning

Federal authorities announced hackers in China have stolen "customer call records data" of an unknow

Long penalized for playing at Coors Field, Todd Helton finally gets his due with Hall of Fame nod

Maybe, the fact it took so long, and the doubt whether it would ever happen, made it even sweeter fo

New Jersey OKs two new offshore wind farms that would be farther from shore and beachgoers’ view

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Stung by the pullout of the world’s largest offshore wind developer from