A man became so enraged when a person complimented his girlfriend outside an Oregon bar that he decided to kill.
Now, he will spend a decade behind bars.
A judge in Oregon sentenced Ian Cranston to 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of manslaughter and other charges, according to reports. Cranston was acquitted of murder following a jury trial.
As FrontPageDetectives previously reported, on Sept. 19, 2021, Cranston shot and killed Barry Washington on the sidewalk outside a bar in Bend, Oregon. The shooting happened after Washington complimented Cranston’s girlfriend.
“Today is not a day to rejoice, nor is it a day to celebrate,” Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said in a statement after the conviction.
“Today is a day of accountability for Ian Cranston and it is day 424 of Barry Washington’s family and our community mourning his passing. By all accounts, Barry was a dear friend to many and a wonderful son to Lawanda Roberson. This verdict does not provide Ms. Roberson what she ultimately wants, but hopefully knowing that the residents of Deschutes County valued Barry’s life provides her some comfort moving forward.”
Washington’s family members spoke during a sentencing hearing, according to KTVZ. His mother, La’Wanda Roberson, said she had been living a nightmare.
“My son was my everything, my first born,” she said, according to the outlet. “He always had a way to cheer you up when you were down. He was loving, caring and was always the life of the party.”
Prosecutors did not cite race as an issue at a trial — Washington was Black and Cranston was white — but the victim’s family said it played a part. They told Cranston that if the victim was white, he would still be alive today.
“My child was taken from this earth, not of the illness or sickness or an unfortunate accident, but by the hands of a man. There is no pain as intense as what is in my broken heart,” Roberson said, according to the station.
Oregon law required the 10-year sentence, but Roberson told the judge she considered a slap on the wrist, according to KTVZ.
She told Cranston he will be released before he is 40 years old, and he will be able to live the rest of his life.
“And while I hope whatever time you get, Ian Cranston, instead of feeling sorry for yourself,” she said. “I hope you feel all the pain that me and my family have felt.”
