After standing trial for his wife's death, "Shield" actor Michael Jace was convicted and was found guilty for second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison.
Huffington Post reported that the 53-year-old actor was found guilty for shooting his wife in their own home, resulting to the latter's death. After the prosecution and Jace presented their evidence, Jace was found guilty.
Aggravating Circumstances
Aggravating circumstances were attendant in the killing of April Jace, Michael Jace's wife. One such circumstance, which can increase Jace's prison time, was the use of a handgun. Although he was the one who called authorities after shooting his wife, it was not considered to work in his favor, much less to reduce the penalty.
Among the heaviest testimonies was that of Jace's 10-year-old son who said that he heard his father tell April Jace to "run to heaven." This was in reference to the running club that April Jace was a member of.
No Premeditation
Deputy Dist. Atty. Tannaz Mokayef stated during the trial that the actor was already waiting for April Jace to come home. Jace then shot April on her back, then subsequently shot each of her legs.
LA Times reported that Jace did not testify in defense of himself. He said that he retrieved the gun and tried to kill himself but he could not do it. He shot his wife's legs for the purpose of inflicting pain on her.
At the time of the shooting, the couples children, both of which were younger than 10, were also in the premises. After the incident, they were entrusted to the care of relatives.
After a weeklong trial, the jury spent several hours in deciding the verdict for Jace's case. The jury didn't consider any premeditation in the killing of April Jace, which was why the "Shield" actor was sentenced to second-degree murder. This type of murder constitutes intentional killing without premeditation.
