UPDATE (2:24 p.m. Thursday): A reporting error in this story stated Powell was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He received life in prison.
ORIGINAL:
Joshua Powell was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and was given a fine on Thursday for the attempted capital murder of CCPD officer Manuel Dominguez.
Powell pled guilty to attempted capital murder of a peace officer earlier this month.
Dominguez did not want to speak after the sentence was read Thursday, instead choosing for Nueces County First District Attorney Angelica Hernandez to speak on his behalf.
"For Officer Dominguez, for myself, it's just been a long time coming and it's a form of validation that the community understands the seriousness of what happened to him and what officers do everyday, putting their lives at risk," said Hernandez. "So, we're grateful, and we're appreciative."
The jury decided the 21-year-old's punishment in under an hour, after hearing three days of testimony.
Powell, who testified on Thursday, said he belongs in jail. He also said he chose to take the stand because he wanted to apologize to Dominguez, and fully tell his side of the story.
Under questioning from his attorney Kyle Hoelscher, Powell told the court how he had experienced mental-health issues since he was 12 or 13.
He said he was having a mental-health episode when he shot Dominguez.
"Voices in my head," he said. "I would see shadows. I would see things that were not there, but it was really the voices that caused me a lot of grief."
He said he had been self-medicating with Xanax and marijuana.
"With street drugs," he said. "Just being asleep really. That's what made me feel safe, and I wouldn't hear nothing. That's what I tried to do."
Powell said he was on suicide watch in jail, but that he's been put on a medication regimen that has helped significantly.
Dominguez responded to a domestic disturbance at the Water Colors Apartments on Weber Road on Aug. 4, 2021.
Powell had been having a disagreement with his mother and girlfriend, who was 9 months pregnant, when Dominguez arrived and Powell opened fire.
Dominguez addressed Powell in court Thursday.
"After today, I won't remember your name," he said. "You will only be known as that coward who tried to kill me. You showed everyone here you're a coward. Only cowards beat on their mom, only cowards beat on the girlfriends, and only cowards attempt to murder officers."
He used his time on the stand to apologize to Dominguez.
"First off, you didn't deserve that," Powell said. "I understand everyone has a job. Everybody just wants to make it and you were just trying to do your job. Second, I'm glad none of your wounds were fatal and you can associate with your family and watch them grow and with them. Third, when you go before God, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me for what I've done to you."
Dominguez told the jury Wednesday that the shooting has left him with permanent physical damage, as well as frequent nightmares.
Hernandez told Powell that even though the shots to Dominguez weren't fatal, that he killed a part of Dominguez that day.
Powell agreed.
"He's not the same," he said.
Photojournalist Alexis Montalbo and multimedia journalist Patrick Johnstone contributed to this story.
