The case is notable for the magnitude of support the defendant received from his community,[2] the press,[3] and blogs,[4] as well as for the relative leniency of the charge the jury chose for conviction in the death of an on-duty police officer.
[6] On the night of January 17, 2008, Frederick awoke to his dogs barking at an individual breaking into the front door of his Chesapeake, Virginia house.
In the course of the trial, Frederick was shown to be an avid gardener who maintained a koi pond and Asian plants in his yard.
In Virginia at the time, simple possession of marijuana was an unclassified misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for a first offense.
The officer discharged his weapon several times into the home as Strickland came to answer the door, striking and killing both the student and his dog.