Fugitive who shot trooper sentenced

An escaped convict who shot and wounded a state trooper was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison in Elmira, a day after he was given life without parole for shooting two other troopers, one of whom died.

Ralph “Bucky” Phillips, 44, whose dramatic capture in September after five months ended the longest manhunt in state history, tried again unsuccessfully to withdraw his guilty plea before being handed the maximum penalty for the attempted murder of Trooper Sean Brown.

Brown, 31, was shot in the abdomen during a traffic stop June 10 when he approached a car Phillips had stolen. Brown has since recovered and returned to duty.