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Watch VideoCop killer Lamberth sentenced to 96 years in prison
Story By: David Tauchen
Source: KOAA
Jereme Lamberth, the Colorado Springs man convicted of killing Police Detective Jared Jensen two years ago, was determined to be a habitual criminal in a Colorado Springs courtroom late Monday afternoon. He was sentenced to 96 years in prison.
Lamberth remained virtually emotionless throughout the hearing. When asked if he wanted to say anything in his defense he replied, "I don't think that would be appropriate right now."
The sentence is the maximum and is mandatory with the habitual felon status, which effectively quadrupled a maximum 24 year sentence for Second Degree Murder.
The defense repeatedly tried to drive a wedge between Lamberth and this status. They called into question documents from the Department of Corrections which had missing or wrong information about Lamberth. There were allegedly major discrepancies about his race, what year he was born and how tall he is.
The defense also asked Judge Larry Schwartz to consider his poor upbringing and rocky childhood. However, he refused saying, "I see many people from miserable backgrounds...[Lamberth] made more than bad choices."
The 96-year sentence came as a relief to the Jensen family, but not a permanent end to their pain. "Am I satisfied? No I won't be satisfied until I'm in heaven with my arms around my boy again," said Thomas Jensen, Detective Jensen's father.
Lamberth will be back in court in June for the attempted murder of his sister. He is accused of stabbing her 14 times. The trial has been moved to Boulder.
