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Larry Pearson: Texas man gets 70 years in prison for spitting at cops while getting arrested for domestic violence

Larry Pearson reportedly got angry and began kicking the door of the police cruiser and when the cops tried to stop him he spat at them

LUBBOCK, TEXAS: A man in Texas was sentenced to 70 years in prison for spitting at two police officers during an arrest in May 2022. Larry Pearson, 36, was arrested on domestic violence charges after allegedly hitting a woman several times in the face, leaving her with multiple visible injuries.

As officers took Pearson into custody, he reportedly got angry and began kicking the door of the police cruiser. When two cops opened the door to stop him, Pearson spat at them and continued to do so even after he arrived at the Lubbock County Detention Center, Everything Lubbock reported.

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'You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this'

Pearson was later found guilty of two counts of harassment of a public servant, which carry a minimum sentence of 25 years due to his prior convictions for aggravated robbery and family violence. During the trial's closing arguments, prosecutor Jessica Gorman asked the jury to "send a message" to both the suspect and society with its sentencing.

"If you’re going to live the life of crime, you’re going to do that among other criminals [in prison]," Gorman told the court, according to the media outlet. Jim Shaw, Pearson’s defense attorney, argued that the sentencing was for a "simple misdemeanor" that got out of control. However, the jury ultimately chose to hand down a sentence of 70 years.

"You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this when you’ve never been in trouble before," said Gorman. The case has sparked controversy and raised questions about the fairness of the sentence. Critics argue that the punishment is excessive for a non-violent offense and that it disproportionately affects people of color.

'More time than mass shooting suspects'

"So they didn’t get him for beating his partner, they booked him for life for spitting at an officer. The minimum is 25 years. This is insanely excessive," a user reacted on Twitter. One more wrote, "That’s an inexcusable sentence 25 years was a stretch."  Another user criticized by writing, "more time than mass shooting “suspects”' One more wrote, "Waittttt so they can storm the capitol… break into the capitol… injure the police and get off but he gets 70 years for spitting. Smh. This is America." 

'This was spitting at police officers'

Others, however, argue that the sentence is justified given Pearson's history of violent crime. "This wasn’t just spitting at someone. This was spitting at police officers," said Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe, according to Complex. "And, it was after he’d already committed a violent act", he added.

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