A California man who shot two people, killing one, during an argument over the 2016 presidential election received a sentence of 35 years to life in prison, the maximum sentence available, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports.
On Jan. 10, 2017, John Kevin McVoy Jr. got into an argument about the 2016 election with his band mate Victor Garcia while practicing at Garcia's home in North Long Beach. McVoy took out a gun after Garcia mocked him for voting for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and told him to leave.
McVoy fired one shot that hit Garcia in the head and, during a struggle with another band member over the gun, fired a second shot that struck Susan Garcia, Victor's wife, who was sitting with her 2-year-old son on her lap. Susan Garcia died at the scene, while Victor Garcia was in a coma for several months and underwent multiple brain surgeries.
McVoy's attorney argued that his client acted in self-defense, asserting that Victor Garcia had made threats and was holding a can opener at the time, which McVoy said he thought could have been a knife.
A jury found McVoy, 40, guilty of murder and intentionally using a firearm in the killing of Susan Garcia, but not guilty of two counts of attempted murder against Victor Garcia and his son, as well as not guilty of child endangerment.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Laura Laesecke said that McVoy was at fault for bringing a loaded gun with him and pointing it at Garcia.
''There's no reason to be pointing a gun,'' she said. ''Mr. Garcia should not bear the weight of this crime.''
At sentencing, McVoy apologized for his actions, saying that he didn't intend to hurt anyone and that "as far as my remorse, I think about this every day."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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