Rockiett to serve at least 15 years for attack on Officer Davis

Jose Rockiett will serve at least 15 years in prison, but Cedar Rapids Police Officer Tim Davis' family will suffer for life, Davis' wife says.

Stephanie Davis said her husband, who was assaulted last year by Rockiett, may never hold a full-time job again.

“He killed my husband. He took a father away from his sons and a husband away from his wife,” Stephanie Davis said Friday at Rockiett's sentencing in Linn County District Court.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover-Grinde sentenced Rockiett, 18, of Cedar Rapids, to a total of 25 years in prison on two counts of robbery and one count each of willful injury and interference with official acts. He will be eligible for parole in 15 years.

Rockiett, who pleaded guilty Feb. 4, hit Davis with a handgun as the officer responded to a robbery and assault report on March 29. Davis suffered a serious brain injury.

At a news conference after the sentencing, Stephanie Davis said her husband works about 3 1/2 hours a day at the Police Station and indicated he might not continue as an officer, depending on his condition.

“It takes a lot to get him to work every morning,” she said. “He does drive himself now. He can do things on his own now ... he can take his own medication and can pay the bills, which I'm thankful for.

“Brain injury is nothing you can see,” she continued. “Tim can play the game and pretend like he's the old Tim before the injury and a lot of people at the station don't know. But it takes a lot of energy for him to do that.”

Rockiett apologized to the Davis family and David Scanlon, one of the victims of the robbery and assault. He said he was aware of the “pain and suffering” he caused Scanlon and has had numerous nights in jail to think about what he's done.

Rockiett asked that Tim and Stephanie Davis and the public forgive him.

Scanlon said in a victim's impact statement that the assault had a profound effect on his life. “I won't forget the night that caused me considerable loss.”

He no longer feels safe to walk down the street at night. He's lost income, as well as personal belongings like his cell phone with pictures of his daughter. Scanlon said his ribs were cracked by being stomped and kicked by Rockiett and he suffers from long-term pain.

Stephanie Davis questioned Rockiett's remorse in her impact statement and said she couldn't forgive him.

“He has learned nothing from this,” she said. “He took someone's life and that's how I'll always remember him.”

Davis' comments for Rockiett were less harsh during the news conference, saying she hoped some day she could forgive him if he proved he wanted to change. She said the interview Rockiett gave The Gazette from jail after he pleaded guilty made her angry because he lied.

Rockiett said he only hit Tim Davis with his fist, but at the news conference Cedar Rapids Police Chief Greg Graham showed photos matching a handgun found at the scene to Tim Davis' facial injuries.

Maurice Harden, 15, of Cedar Rapids, another teenager charged in the robbery and assault on Scanlon and Austin Switalski before Davis was attacked, was placed on youthful offender status on Friday by Hoover-Grinde. That means his sentencing on first-degree robbery and interference with official acts causing injury will be postponed until he turns 18.

Harden will remain in a juvenile detention center until then, when the court will decide if he should be released or be sentenced on the charges in adult court.

Robert Watkins III, another 15-year-old involved in the robbery, pleaded guilty last year and was also placed on youthful status.