On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Gregory Newson, a Louisiana man, was sentenced to death after being convicted of capital murder for the December 2019 fatal shooting of Panola County Deputy Chris Dickerson.
The jury deliberated for several hours before finding that Newson, 43, would likely commit future violent acts, and that no mitigating factors existed to prevent a death sentence. They also determined that Newson did not have an intellectual disability, which would have prohibited the death penalty under Supreme Court rulings.
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on December 31, 2019, when Newson was pulled over by Deputy Dickerson for a routine traffic stop in Gary, Texas. Newson shot and killed the deputy before fleeing the scene. During the trial, the state highlighted Newson's violent history, including the shooting of an off-duty officer who had followed Newson after hearing of the initial shooting.
Despite the defense's argument that Newson had an intellectual disability, the jury rejected this claim and concluded that the death penalty was appropriate for his actions. Judge Christi Kennedy formally imposed the death sentence following the verdict.
