Man Gets 8-15 Years In Wife's Strangulation Death
PONTIAC (WWJ/AP) - A Oakland County man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the strangulation death of his wife in their home as their daughters looked on has been sentenced to 8 to 15 years in prison.
The Oakland Press and The Detroit News report Rahim Lockridge was given the sentence Thursday in Pontiac after telling the court he loved his wife and didn't mean to harm her.
The 39-year-old was convicted earlier by a Circuit Court jury.
Investigators said, last September Lockridge put his wife, 32-year-old Kenyatta Lockridge, in a headlock and strangled her — all in front of their three daughters. Defense attorney's argued that Rahim acted in self-defense because the two were fighting and that the wife had attacked him.
The daughters, ages 17, 11 and 8, previously testified in a preliminary examination that their parents were fighting over missing money. The 17-year-old said their mother hit their father, who then their mother in a headlock. The girl testified her mother then stopped breathing.
The judge in the case earlier tossed-out a first degree murder charge.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
