FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WUSA9) -- Former Fairfax County Police Officer Adam Torres was released from jail after serving most of the one-year sentence for killing John Geer.
"We're happy it's over and we can move on with our lives," said Maura Harrington, Geer's former girlfriend and the mother of their two teenage daughters.
Harrington said she wanted Torres to be given a longer sentence, but was pleased he was convicted of a felony.
While he was jail, Torres’ wife Danielle gave birth to their third child. She had the baby in court with her on Friday for his sentencing.
"I hope he gets some help and I hope he's a good dad to those kids," said Harrington. "He killed a person. He's going to need help with that."
Harrington said she was more than willing to testify in a trial, but her daughter Haley was scared to and did not want to testify. She was also concerned that a trial would have brought out negative things about their father and didn’t want to taint their good memories of him.
Due to the family concerns, Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh accepted a deal with Torres pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
"The most important thing is that it was a felony conviction," said Harrington.
She did not want to see Torres acquitted, “as several police officers in the Freddie Gray case have been.”
Geer's best friend Jeff Stewart said he's not "happy" Torres is out of jail after receiving a one year sentence.
"It wasn't long enough, but nothing's bringing John back," he said. "I am happy there was accountably. I'm happy he was convicted of a felony and can never be a police officer again. It's time to move on."
Geer was standing in his doorway of his home with his hands up when Torres killed him on August 29, 2013.
The police department refused to cooperative with state and federal prosecutors for more than a year. It took the judge in the civil suit and a United States senator to break the silence.
John Geer’s mother, Anne Geer, held her tongue ever since her son was killed nearly three years ago. On sentencing day Friday, she let loose.
"If I went and shot somebody I would never see the light of day. One year in jail? It's insulting. It was Murder. Not involuntary manslaughter," said Anne Geer.
In court, Anne Geer told the judge that a 12-month sentence for Torres was not justice.
"He was standing with his hands up. He had been that way for 40 minutes. And this guy was mad at this wife so he shot John," said Geer.
John Geer's father witnessed the shooting.
"I think the whole thing has been a fiasco from the very beginning and let's hope that no one else ever has to go through what we're gone through," said Don Geer. "It is very difficult to convict a police officer. The law says you don't second guess then. I felt, obviously, that he was guilty of a crime."
Prosecutor Ray Morrogh said he wanted to try the case, but chose to the listen to the mother of Geer's children, Maura Harrington, who did not want her now-teenagers to testify in a trial.
Fairfax county Chairman Sharon Bulova called the death of John Geer tragic and painful chapter in county history. She said the county has and is implementing changes to make sure this never happens again.
Torres was in jail since last August. With time served and good behavior, he was released after serving more than 10 months.
