Kansas City Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years for Police Shooting, High-Speed Chase

A Texas man, John Lee Smith III, was sentenced to 48 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for shooting a transgender woman in 2023 while out on bail for a prior murder charge. Smith initially denied involvement but later admitted to the shooting, claiming he acted after discovering the victim was a trans woman, though evidence indicated he already knew her identity. As part of a plea bargain, prosecutors dropped the previous murder and additional weapons charges. The district attorney's office was criticized for misgendering the victim in public statements about the case.