JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 33-year-old woman could end up in prison for 60 years when she's retried for firing a shot in the direction of her estranged husband and two of his children.
Marissa Alexander was convicted in 2012 on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 20 years — three counts served concurrently. An appeals court tossed the conviction, saying the judge made a mistake in shifting the burden to Alexander to prove she acted in self-defense.
Assistant State Attorney Richard Mantei told the Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/1hBxMEQ ) the state is simply following sentencing laws in seeking 60 years. The same court that ordered Alexander's retrial ruled that when a defendant is convicted of multiple counts from the same crime, judges must make the sentences consecutive.
Critics say it's outrageous to seek triple the original sentence.
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Information from: The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com
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