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“The Shield” Actor Gets 40 Years in Prison for Murder of Wife

Michael Jace, who is probably best known as an actor who portrayed a cop on the TV show “The Shield,” may end up spending the rest of his life behind bars for killing his wife. Jace was recently sentenced by a Los Angeles judge to a minimum term of incarceration of 40 years, with a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Michael Jace, who is 53 years old, had been accused of fatally shooting April Jace, his 40-year-old wife. He allegedly became angry when he learned that his wife wanted to file for divorce. Additionally, Jace was reportedly upset because he believed that his wife was having an extramarital affair.
The shooting occurred at the couple’s Los Angeles residence, with Jace allegedly shooting his wife in the back and then in the legs.
Not long after Jace was apprehended and placed under arrest, he reportedly spoke with Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives and said that he initially wanted to kill himself but couldn’t find the courage to do so. That’s when he allegedly got the idea to shoot his wife.
Jace claimed that he merely wanted to shoot his wife in the leg so that she would suffer. LAPD detectives recorded Jace making these statements, with the audio recordings played for the court during Jace’s murder trial.
Jace was ultimately convicted on second degree murder charges, with the jury rendering the verdict at the end of a trial that lasted four weeks.
Although Jace did not take the stand to testify during his murder trial, Jace spoke in the courtroom during a later sentencing hearing. While addressing April Jace’s family members, who were present in the courtroom, Jace cried and apologized for shooting his wife. Jace said that he had “no justification” for firing the gunshots that ended the life of the victim.
However, Jace refused to admit that he intentionally killed her; instead, the convicted killer insisted that his wife’s death was an accident and that nothing he did on the day of the homicide was premeditated.
While Jace spoke, Kay Henry, the victim’s mother, shook her head, stood up and walked out of the courtroom.
For additional information about this case, access the Yahoo.com article, “Former ‘Shield’ Actor Michael Jace Gets 40 Years to Life in Wife’s Killing.”
 
If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with first degree murder, manslaughter or any other violent crime in New Jersey, you need to talk to a qualified criminal defense attorney immediately. The experienced criminal defense lawyers at Lombardi & Lombardi are prepared to help you explore all of your legal options and fight the charges. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at one of our offices in Edison, Brick or Freehold, NJ.

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