Man Gets Life For Killing Retired St. Louis Police Captain During Protests
On Wednesday (October 5), a judge sentenced Stephan Cannon to life in prison for killing retired St. Louis police Capt. David Dorn as Dorn attempted to stop looting at a pawn shop during protests two summers ago.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cannon, 26, was convicted in July of first-degree murder, robbery, burglary, and three counts of armed criminal action in Dorn’s death. On Wednesday, he was handed a mandatory sentence of life in prison for the murder, plus an additional 30 years for other crimes.
On June 2, 2020, Dorn, 77, was killed as he stood outside Lee’s Jewelry & Pawn Shop in St. Louis. He showed up that night to stop looters that had come to businesses after protests broke out over the death of George Floyd just a few days earlier.
According to prosecutors, Cannon walked out of the store, crouched on a street corner and fired 10 shots at Dorn, killing him as he approached the shop.
During the sentencing hearing, Cannon spoke for the first time in court, insisting that he was not the one who killed Dorn.
“I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but this ain’t justice,” he said. “Mark Jackson knows who did this.” Jackson, who was reportedly at the scene of the crime testified against Cannon in July and charges against him were dropped.”
In a victim’s impact statement, Dorn’s son Brian Powell directed sharp comments at Cannon. "I hope your eyes are woke,” he said. “You still have time to get everything together and make amends with your maker.”
Judge Theresa Counts Burke also gave Cannon the maximum sentence on each of the five extra charges he carried. They will be served consecutively with his life sentence. "This is the maximum sentence the law allows," she said. “"Your life does continue on and this is a choice you have to make, how do you continue on?"
Dorn retired from the St. Louis Police Department in 2007 after 38 years, then became police chief in Moline Acres, a position he held for six years.
