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SJ-R
May 31, 2015
Antonio Florence was sentenced to 72 years in prison Thursday, but Springfield police officer Bryan Henson still expects Florence to continue to affect his life everyday.
An emotional Henson told Sangamon County Associate Judge Christopher Perrin at Florence’s sentencing hearing that he is still dealing with the emotional and psychological damage Florence caused.
During the afternoon of Feb. 21, 2014, Henson responded to a routine “dropped” 911 call — meaning no one was on the other end when the call came through.
When he arrived, Florence, 38, confronted him at the door. A woman inside on the couch behind Florence yelled to Henson that Florence had raped her and that he had a gun.
Henson, an eight-year veteran of the force, was attacked, knocked to the ground and nearly had his weapon taken in a struggle with Florence, which ended with Henson shooting him in the leg.
He hasn’t been the same since, he said.
“Every call I go on, I have the fear of being blindsided,” Henson said in his testimony Thursday. “I will never be the same officer as I was that morning.”
The courtroom was filled with local law enforcement officers who came out to show their support for Henson, who earlier this month was awarded the Springfield Police Department’s Porter Williams Award for distinguished acts of bravery or heroism.
A Sangamon County jury convicted Florence in March of home invasion, criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, attempting to disarm a police officer, aggravated battery and resisting arrest.
He faced a maximum sentence of 90 years in prison.
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser on Thursday asked Perrin for a minimum sentence of 65 years, citing Florence’s criminal record, the severity of the crime and his lack of remorse.
