A Prescott jury on Friday convicted former Prescott police officer Brian Sutton of manslaughter in the 2024 shooting death of 34-year-old Daniel Leslie. The trial, which started June 8, 2026, wrapped with a verdict that sent Sutton straight into state custody. Sentencing is set for Aug. 3, 2026.
Jury Convicts Sutton; Family Reacts
Jurors returned the guilty verdict after several days of testimony in Prescott, and Sutton was immediately taken to state prison, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The outlet reports Sutton fired his service weapon three times as Leslie ran toward a side door and that officers tried to save Leslie’s life at the scene before he died at a Phoenix hospital. "The Leslie family is happy that justice was done, but this is an awful situation all around," family attorney Richard Lyons told FOX 10 Phoenix, which also notes manslaughter carries a minimum seven-year sentence for a first offense.
How the Encounter Unfolded
Officers first responded to a domestic-disturbance call at a Prescott home on June 7, 2024, and returned the next morning looking for Daniel Leslie near the same property, according to ABC15. Body-camera footage shown in court shows Sutton firing three shots as Leslie moved toward the side door in the driveway, and officers attempting to render aid immediately afterward. An independent investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety later concluded Leslie was unarmed when he was shot, as reported by KNAU.
Indictment, Prosecution and Civil Claims
A Yavapai County grand jury handed up an indictment in May 2025, and the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office sent the case to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review to avoid a conflict of interest, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. The Leslie family has also filed a wrongful-death notice seeking $20 million from Sutton and the City of Prescott, a civil claim first reported when the indictment was announced by Arizona's Family. Hoodline previously covered the criminal case in 2025 in a piece on the earlier manslaughter indictment.
Legal Implications
Under Arizona law (A.R.S. §13-1103) manslaughter is a Class 2 felony that can bring substantial prison time. Legal guides note a first-offense sentence treated as a dangerous manslaughter typically carries a minimum of seven years, with a presumptive term near 10.5 years, per local legal analysis. That statutory framework, along with any aggravating or mitigating factors, will guide the punishment the judge chooses at the Aug. 3 hearing, according to Arizona practitioners' commentary.
What Happens Next
Sutton is scheduled to return to court Aug. 3, 2026, for sentencing. The Leslie family’s civil case remains pending and could move forward alongside any criminal appeals. While the conviction closes this chapter of the criminal proceedings, lawyers on both sides acknowledge that the broader fight over accountability and damages is likely to play out in civil court for some time.
