91-year-old Ohio man who says he killed wife of 65 years out of mercy leaves prison early

ELYRIA, Ohio – A 91-year-old Ohio man who said he killed his ailing wife to end her suffering has been released from prison early after serving six months.

Robert Shaw, of Avon, received a four-year sentence last summer for suffocating his 84-year-old wife, Virginia, in 2008. He had pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a plea deal.

A Lorain County judge granted him early release Tuesday, and he left the prison in Orient, southwest of Columbus.

Shaw's attorney told The Chronicle-Telegram (http://bit.ly/1znz8Jm ) in Elyria (eh-LEER'-ee-uh) that Shaw's family would help care for him and was eager to get him home.

Shaw had said that his wife of 65 years had medical problems and that he took action to end her misery.

Prosecutors deferred to the judge's opinion on releasing Shaw.

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Information from: The Chronicle-Telegram, http://www.chronicletelegram.com