Now, Cobb’s life is changed forever and destroyed, Baugh said.

But Hoy disputed Baugh’s reasoning.

“This isn’t a question of what is wrong with Paterson Brown,” Hoy told the court.

One could just as easily question why Cobb took the actions that he did, the prosecutor said — such as why he pulled his gun before he had even spoken with the teen or why he didn’t employ the crisis intervention training that he once taught to fellow officers to de-escalate the encounter.

Cobb, a nine-year Richmond police veteran, resigned from the force on March 10, about a month after his conviction.

When Cobb was first indicted in February 2016, Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham described Cobb as an “outstanding officer” who had served the department and community well. After Cobb was found guilty earlier this year, Durham said members of the Richmond police family were saddened to hear the news.

The victim’s parents, who provided copies of their victim impact statements to The Times-Dispatch, are still struggling to recover from the loss of their only son.