Durand, who was killed in 2013, sent a letter to the judge recommending probation for Cobbins. Cobbins was picked up by Abston after Durand had stolen Durand’s wallet and forced Durand into his car’s trunk. The lawyer said that the older boy was in the wrong place at wrong time.
But when Abston filed for post-conviction relief two years later, Durand provided a victim impact statement noting the teen’s long juvenile record that began with assault charges when he was 11, and stated that he thought it likely Abston would have ended up killing him if that officer hadn’t shown up.
Why is Eliza Fletcher’s death bringing down authorities?
As a response to Some public officials may criticize—including the state’s lieutenant governor—that Fletcher would still be alive if Abston had been in prison serving the entirety of his sentence, Mulroy, the district attorney, countered that the suspect had served 85 percent of a 24-year sentence. Mulroy, the district attorney, countered that Abston had served 85 percent of a 24-year sentence.
“Repeat violent offenders deserve a strong response,”Mulroy said: “and that’s what they’ll get from this district attorney’s office.”