Husband found guilty of wife’s Baltimore murder is sentenced

A court battle over the 2008 murder of a woman by her community activist husband has come to an end. Months ago we wrote a post about this criminal case in which a Maryland man was found guilty of first-degree murder. Now, a Baltimore judge has sentenced the 35-year-old defendant (a community activist and husband of the murder victim) to life in prison.

As the Baltimore Sun points out in its recent coverage, the case is a tragic example of how a violent crime can tear apart a family. The man convicted of killing his wife leaves behind three young children, who now are missing their mother and father.

The violent crime garnered vast media attention for various reasons. The man charged with the murder was a well-known community activist. And the attack took place in public on a sidewalk, an event that several bystanders witnessed. According to sources, it took the action of a nearby police officer who fired his gun two times at the man to end the stabbing.

The defendant and his legal representation never argued that the husband didn’t kill his pregnant wife. The legal team did argue that the activist didn’t plan the murder. His lawyers contended that the defendant should not be charged with first-degree murder.

The prosecution countered with the argument that by having a knife with him when the violent confrontation took place, the defendant showed proof that he had planned the murder. As we shared in a prior post, the jury eventually agreed with the prosecution and found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder.

In the recent sentencing hearing, the judge sentenced the defendant to life in prison. He did, however, allow the opportunity for parole, which would come up in 25 years.

Source

The Baltimore Sun (Blog): “Community activist sentenced for killing wife,” Nick Madigan, 6 May 2011