The murder trial of prominent Atlanta attorney, Claud ‘Tex’ McIver continues on Wednesday. McIver is accused of murdering his wife Diane McIver on Sept. 25, 2016. He claims it was an accident. Watch live on the Law&Crime Network in the player above.
McIver has said that he was holding a gun while seated in the backseat of a car for protection as he rode with his wife and a friend through what he felt was a dangerous neighborhood. At some point, he claims, he fell asleep, and then awoke with a start and accidentally fired the weapon, shooting Diane through her seat in the process. Diane was taken to a local hospital. Tex’s defense claims that before she died, Diane said the shooting “was an accident.”
Prosecutors claim that Tex McIver had a financial motive for killing his wife, who was a business executive. They also recently hit him with additional charges of influencing witnesses, to go along with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Opening statements took place on Tuesday. While defense attorney Amanda Clark Palmer delivered her opening, McIver could be seen tearing up in the courtroom. Palmer claimed that evidence will show that McIver fired the gun by accident.
The prosecution is now presenting their case, and will be calling witnesses on Wednesday.
Stay with Law&Crime.com and the Law&Crime Network for continuing coverage of the trial.
Aaron Keller contributed to this report.
[Image via WSB screengrab]