CLEVELAND — David McDaniel, the 21-year-old man who pleaded guilty to the fatal shooting of Cleveland Police Officer James Skernivitz and another man nearly three years ago, was sentenced to life in prison Thursday afternoon.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 50 years.
On March 16, McDaniel pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of aggravated robbery in exchange for prosecutors to not pursue the death penalty.
You can watch the sentencing in the player below:
Skernivitz, 53, and police informant Scott Dingess, 50, were shot and killed on Sept. 3, 2020, near West 57th Street and West 67th Place by McDaniel and another man, Kevin Robinson. Robinson pleaded guilty to the same charges in 2022 and was sentenced to 28-years-to-life in prison.
Authorities say McDaniel, who was 18 years old at the time and Robinson, who was 17 years old, went up to a car that Skernivitz and Dingess were sitting in and tried to rob them. McDaniel and Robinson shot at the vehicle multiple times, striking both occupants and then ran off with another juvenile who was with them. Skernivitz and Dingess were taken to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Detectives tracked McDaniel, Robinson and the teen down over the next few days and all three were arrested.
In Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Shaughnessy's courtroom Thursday, members of Skernivitz's family spoke directly to McDaniel. Skernivitz's daughter, Bailey, told McDaniel the impact the loss of her father has had on her.
"I will not get the chance to see my dad again, to hug him one last time, to laugh with him one last time, to fight with him one last time, to hear him call me 'bird' one last time, to tell him that I love him one last time, or to say goodbye to him one last time. My dad was supposed to see me graduate college; my dad was supposed to celebrate my brother’s 21st birthday with him. My dad was supposed to be here. He will never see me or my brothers get married. My dad will never get to meet his grandchildren who may exist one day. He will never get to grow old with my mom. My dad will never get to live out the life that he worked incredibly hard for and that is because of you David McDaniel," she said.
She added that she advocated against prosecutors pursuing the death penalty.
"Not because you deserve it but because I don’t see how playing a role in ending your life will make me any better than you," she said. "The next time we see each other, it will be at your first parole hearing. For the next 50 years, while you await for parole eligibility, I hope that every day you think about how I, the daughter of the individual that you murdered, showed you the mercy that you did not show my dad."
Kristen Skernivitz, the detective's wife, also spoke directly to McDaniel.
"I miss Jim when I wake up and his arms are not around me, when I'm brushing my teeth and Jim’s not there doing the same, when I leave for work and Jim’s not there to kiss goodbye," she said.
She said she would no longer waste time thinking about McDaniel.
"You see, David, Jim was everything to a lot of people. He was everything to me. He was everything to his family and he was everything to his friends. You are nothing but a piece of shi*."
McDaniel also addressed the family. He said he was sorry for his actions on the night of Sept. 3, 2020.
"I pray every night before I go to sleep that I wish it wouldn’t have happened. I wish I can change it but I can’t," said McDaniel. "I just want both of the victim’s families to know that I sincerely apologize."
He stated he is not a bad person but he made a bad decision.
In the end, Judge Shaughnessy honored the plea agreement.
"Over a few dollars; look at the destruction you caused," he said to McDaniel. "I'm very sorry for all your losses and I'm sorry to the McDaniel family, too."
McDaniel will be in his seventies when he is eligible to receive parole.
RELATED: Man pleads guilty to murder charges for death of Cleveland Police Officer James Skernivitz
You can watch more about McDaniel's court case in the player below:
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