Prominent Atlanta lawyer Tex McIver was convicted of murdering his wife Diane in September 2016. A jury found him guilty last month, and he faces life in prison. The judge will decide whether or not McIver will be eligible for parole. Watch the hearing live in the player above when court starts at approximately 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
McIver admitted to shooting his wife, but claimed it was an accident. The defense claimed that he asked Diane to give him his gun for protection while they were riding in a car their friend drove, as they were going through an unfamiliar neighborhood, and that the weapon accidentally discharged, shooting Diane through the back of her seat.
While the jury found McIver not guilty of malice murder, they did find him guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and influencing a witness (their friend Dani Jo Carter, who was the driver at the time of the shooting). The guilty verdict for felony murder raised questions among Law&Crime Network analysts, as it basically means that the jury believed that McIver intended to injure his wife, just not kill her.
Regardless of the jury’s reasoning behind the verdict, their decision means that McIver will spend the rest of his life behind bars, unless the judge decides to make parole an option.
[Image via Law&Crime Network screengrab]
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