PANOLA COUNTY, Texas — Editor's Note: The video above originally aired Nov. 11, 2024.
The Panola County Sheriff's Office thanked the East Texas community following the sentencing of a man who killed a deputy in 2019.
Deputy Chris Dickerson was murdered in the line of duty on Dec. 31, 2019. His killer, Gregory Newson, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was found guilty of capital murder on Oct. 28, nearly 5 years later.
"From the very beginning the Sheriff's Office received an outpouring of assistance from surrounding agencies, including the Panola County Criminal District Attorney, Panola County Constables, Harrison County Sheriff's Office, Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, Game Wardens, ATF Agents, and the Shreveport Police Department in the aftermath of this senseless act," Panola County Sheriff Cutter Clinton said. "We received invaluable help from the Gregg County Sheriff Cerliano and members of his Office with housing and transportation during the multitude of court hearings and I cannot thank them enough for their professionalism and friendship."
PCSO also thanked the citizens of Panola County and the U.S for their prayers as Dickerson's coworkers and family mourned him.
"We will never forget the service and sacrifice of Deputy Chris Dickerson," Clinton said. "319 will forever remain in our hearts along with the family and loved ones he left behind."
During closing arguments in Newsom's trial, prosecutor Natalie Tise urged jurors to remember Dickerson's widow Krista and their two young daughters who lost a father as well as Dickerson's mother and his sisters.
"There's two options, and we're giving you the worst one because this (what Newson did) is unacceptable," Tise said of the death penalty.
Dickerson was a hard working man who was committed to serving his family and community, from working multiple jobs, serving in the military to becoming a law enforcement officer and saving a woman and her dog from a burning house, Tise said.
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