Texas man sentenced to 70 years in prison for spitting at cops

A Texas man was reportedly sentenced to 70 years in prison for spitting at Lubbock police officers during an arrest last May.

Cops picked up Larry Pearson, 36, on domestic violence charges after he allegedly hit a woman several times in the face, leaving her with “multiple visible injuries,” according to EverythingLubbock.com.

Pearson allegedly got angry when officers didn’t arrest the victim, and started kicking the door of the police cruiser. When two cops opened the door to demand he stop, Pearson spat at them and kept doing so even after he got to the Lubbock County Detention Center, the website said.

Jurors later found him guilty of two counts of harassment of a public servant.

During the trial’s closing arguments, prosecutor Jessica Gorman asked the jury to “send a message” to both the suspect and society with its sentencing.

Pearson had prior convictions for aggravated robbery and family violence, Gorman said. As a result, he faced a minimum sentence of 25 years.

“If you’re going to live the life of crime, you’re going to do that among other criminals [in prison],” Gorman told the court, according to EverythingLubbock.com.

Jim Shaw, Pearson’s defense attorney, told jurors that the sentencing was for a “simple misdemeanor” that got out of control.

The jury threw the book at him anyway.

“You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this when you’ve never been in trouble before,” Gorman said.