Lotto Winner Gets 25 Years In Detroit Landlord Murder
DETROIT (WWJ) - A 63-year-old Detroit lottery winner has been sentenced to 25-30 years in prison in the shooting death of his daughter's landlord.
Greg McNicol, 45, a native of Australia, was killed in May 2011 outside the Detroit apartment building he owned. Authorities said McNichol was arguing with Freddie Young's daughter about two months of unpaid rent.
In a recorded interview with police, Young said he didn't realize he was holding the gun until the weapon suddenly went off.
A jury found him guilty of second degree murder.
One of Young's attorneys, Jeffrey Edison, said his client will appeal the sentence.
"Well we argued that Mr. Young acted in self-defense and if the jury felt that way, he would be not-guilty of anything. They also had for their consideration -- manslaughter," said Edison. "They could have considered that, too."
Young's lottery club shared a $46 million jackpot in February 2011. Each member was to have received about $1.6 million through a cash payout.
A judge temporarily froze Young's money after McNicol's widow filed a wrongful death lawsuit. At the courthouse Wednesday, Kristy McNicol said she was pleased with the sentence.
"I think that's the minimum that the whole family was expecting," she said.
