Tierschutz aktuell /Nachrichten » c Lauer limited Arizon

The man convicted of manslaughter in the 2016 road rage shooting death of former NFL running back Joe McKnight was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday.

Ronald Gasser Michael Roberts Jersey , 56, had faced up to 40 years in prison. Defense lawyers argued that Gasser fired in self-defense when McKnight walked up to his car following a 5-mile confrontation that began on a bridge spanning the Mississippi River in New Orleans and ended with gunfire in neighboring Jefferson Parish.

"Let this be a cautionary tale," Judge Ellen Kovach said. McKnight's death could have been avoided "if either of the men had had the good sense, the courage and the wisdom to simply disengage."

Sentencing followed emotional testimony from McKnight's loved ones.

"That day, you didn't have to do that," McKnight's mother, Jennifer McKnight, said while looking down at Gasser, who sat a few feet away at the defense table. She cried throughout her testimony and was escorted from the courtroom sobbing.

Witnesses at the trial said McKnight had been weaving in and out of traffic at high speed before the shooting. Prosecutors acknowledged to the jury that he was, in the words of Assistant District Attorney Seth Shute, "driving like a jerk." But they argued that Gasser escalated the conflict Jabaal Sheard Jersey , following him down an exit that he would not ordinarily have taken moments before the shooting.

Shute acknowledged that McKnight had a hand on the open, passenger side window of Gasser's car before he was shot. But he said physical evidence proved Gasser lied during extensive police questioning when he claimed McKnight lunged at him.

Michelle Quick, the mother of McKnight's now 9-year-old son, described struggling to tell the child what had happened, and trying to protect him from seeing internet video of McKnight on the ground at the shooting scene as people worked to save him.

Defense attorney Matthew Goetz, who is appealing the verdict, had argued for a lenient sentence, noting Gasser's lack of a criminal record. A prosecutor argued that Gasser has shown no remorse.

McKnight had been a high school football hero at Louisiana's John Curtis Christian School. He signed with the University of Southern California in 2006. In the NFL, he played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gasser was indicted on a second-degree murder charge. The jury voted 10-2 in January for the lesser verdict of manslaughter.

Gasser did not leave the scene of the shooting and he was released for a time after being questioned. He is white and his release after the shooting of the black athlete sparked protests from some who said race was a factor.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand, who has since retired, denied that race played any role and noted that a thorough investigation led to Gasser's arrest and indictment. Prosecutors later recounted a painstaking investigation Andre Reed Jersey , including an extensive search for witnesses and physical evidence that eventually led to Gasser being charged.

The case in some ways echoed another New Orleans-area road rage shooting from 2016. Former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith was gunned down in that April incident. The shooter was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years.


Trea Turner hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, and drove in eight runs to help the Washington Nationals rally from a nine-run deficit and defeat the Miami Marlins 14-12 in a wild slugfest Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.

The Nationals, who dropped 17 of their previous 22, have won 12 consecutive games against Miami dating to last season – their longest winning streak against any team since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005.

The victory came a day after the Nationals called a players-only meeting Wednesday after Washington was swept by Boston and slipped under .500 for the first time since May 2. Turner’s eight RBIs tied for the most ever by a leadoff hitter, according to STATS LLC.

Shawn Kelley (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win. Sean Doolittle earned his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.

Adam Conley (2-1) allowed five runs in 2/3 of an inning and took the loss.

RANGERS 7, TIGERS 5

DETROIT – Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman homered as Texas beat Detroit.

Yovani Gallardo (3-0) got the win, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two while winning his third straight start.

Keone Kela allowed a run in the ninth before finishing off his 21st save as Texas snapped a three-game losing streak.

Matthew Boyd allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits in four innings. He is 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA in his last four starts.

Detroit lost is third straight and dropped to 2-14 since June 17.

TWINS 5, ORIOLES 2

MINNEAPOLIS – Aaron Slegers got his first major league win by finishing six smooth innings in his first start of the season for Minnesota, and the Twins stopped their six-game losing streak by hanging on to beat Baltimore.

Logan Morrison homered and Jake Cave reached base all four times he batted for the Twins, who turned to Fernando Rodney for the ninth for his 18th save following two consecutive blown chances.

Jonathan Schoop hit two home runs Damien Wilson Jersey , but the Orioles squandered another quality start by Andrew Cashner (2-9) and lost for the 10th time in 11 games. They have the worst record in the major leagues at 24-62, just the team the Twins needed to face to start a season-long 11-game homestand after a 1-8 road trip.

BREWERS 7, BRAVES 2

MILWAUKEE – Jhoulys Chacin threw seven solid innings and Hernan Perez homered among his three hits, leading Milwaukee to a 7-2 victory over Atlanta in a matchup of first-place teams.

The NL Central Division-leading Brewers won their fourth game in a row to go 17 games over .500 (52-35) for the first time since July 1, 2014, when they were 51-34.

Chacin (7-3) gave up three hits and two earned runs while matching a season high with seven strikeouts in what tied for his longest outing this year. The right-hander was 0-2 in his previous three starts while allowing 10 runs in 15 2/3 innings.

Dan Jennings pitched two perfect innings for his first save this season, and second of his career.

NL East-leading Atlanta dropped its third consecutive game after winning four straight. Braves left-hander Max Fried (1-3) lasted only three innings in his third start of the season, giving up four earned runs and four hits with three walks.

ASTROS 4, WHITE SOX 3

HOUSTON –Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Yuli Gurriel’s RBI single with one out in Houston’s two-run ninth lifted the Astros to a win over Chicago.

The Astros trailed by 1 when Joakim Soria (0-3) walked pinch-hitter Tony Kemp with no outs in the ninth before advancing to third on a single by pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez. George Springer snapped an 0-for-8 slump and tied it at 3-3 with his RBI single to shallow center field.

Alex Bregman walked to load the bases and Altuve struck out before Gurriel sent a ball over second baseman Yoan Moncada’s head into right field to give Houston the victory.

Justin Verlander bounced back from his last start where he allowed nine hits and five runs – both season highs – in a loss to Tampa Bay with a solid outing. He yielded four hits and two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings.

Joe Smith (3-1) allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for the win in his first appearance since June 6.

CARDINALS 11, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Luke Weaver pitched two-hit ball over eight innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Giants.

Jedd Gyorko had three hits, including a homer Braxton Miller Jersey , and drove in five runs to spoil the return of Johnny Cueto after two months on the disabled list. Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader also went deep, while Yadier Molina singled three times.

The Cardinals had a season-high 18 hits – their most since getting 19 against the New York Mets on Aug. 24, 2016.

Alen Hanson homered for San Francisco, which has scored five runs while losing four straight.

Weaver (5-7) faced two over the minimum and had seven strikeouts. He carried a perfect game into the sixth before giving up a single and Hanson’s two-run homer. Weaver then bounced back to retire the final seven batters he faced.

Cueto (3-1) was rocked in his long-awaited return from the 60-day disabled list. He gave up four runs in the first inning – one more than he had in 32 innings before going out with right elbow inflammation.

PADRES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 3

PHOENIX (AP) – Eric Lauer limited Arizona to a run over five innings, Austin Hedges homered for the first time since April 10 and the San Diego Padres opened a four-game series in the desert with a victory over the slumping Diamondbacks.

Lauer (4-5) gave up seven hits, walked two and hit a batter, but only one of those baserunners managed to sco Kevin Knox Jersey ,