Crime of Passion Defense Rejected by Murder Jury
From Times Wire Reports
A jury convicted a man of murder in the Ridgefield, N.J., killing of his ex-girlfriend the day she was to marry another man, rejecting his defense that her “betrayal” made him lose his head.
Agustin Garcia, 49, faces up to life in prison. The jury rejected a finding of “passion provocation” manslaughter, which carries a 10-year maximum sentence.
The prosecution portrayed Garcia as a stalker who could not accept that Gladys Ricart, 39, had left him after seven years together.
The 1999 shooting was captured on tape by her photographer.