Man Who Bought Gun That Killed Officer Seeks Reduced Sentence

A Philadelphia man who pleaded guilty to buying a gun later used by another man to kill a suburban police officer is seeking a reduced sentence, saying a "circus atmosphere" at the hearing resulted in an "unduly harsh" penalty.
 
Thirty-one-year-old Michael Henry was sentenced last month in Montgomery County Court to 20 to 66 years in prison following his plea to charges in the illegal sale or transfer of nine firearms and lying on gun purchase applications. Prosecutors said one weapon was used to kill Plymouth Township Officer Bradley Fox a year ago.

Fox was shot in the head and killed while responding to a hit-and-run call.

"I think it's such a tragedy for all we knew this was such an unusual case that the possibility of an extraordinary sentence was always there," said Craig Hosay of the Montgomery County Public Defender's Office.

The gunman, Andrew Charles Thomas, 44, later killed himself. Thomas was on probation for forgery and was the No. 1 suspect in the disappearance of Maria C. Procopio, a woman that went missing in September of 1999 at the time of Fox's murder.

The (Pottstown) Mercury says Hosay argues that the judge shouldn't have allowed testimony about the officer's death and ignored Henry's acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with authorities.