Sunday, September 20, 2009

San Diego, CA: Man Who Shot Ex-Girlfriend's Husband Gets Life in Prison

Last Update: 9/18 6:02 pm
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SAN DIEGO - A man who shot his ex-girlfriend's husband -- leaving him a quadriplegic -- during a fight over the defendant's 13-year-old son was sentenced on Friday to 32 years to life in prison plus another life term.

Michael Keeper, 35, was found guilty last month to attempted murder, assault with a firearm, making criminal threats and evading police while driving recklessly.

According to trial testimony, Keeper was upset he was unable to take his son fishing, and accosted his ex-wife, Jennifer Loveless, and her new husband, Matthew Loveless, last Dec. 5, when they returned from a party to their Tierrasanta home.

A man who was with Keeper that night testified the defendant argued with Matthew Loveless before shooting him five times.

Keeper fled in a van, but was captured in La Mesa after a 9-mile chase.

The victim, who was placed in a medically induced coma for three weeks after the shooting, has trouble speaking and needs a wheelchair to get around.

Since he was on active duty in the Navy, his medical expenses have been paid for by the military, but the couple is concerned about paying for his medical bills after he is discharged, according to a report by the San Diego County Probation Department.

According to the sentence handed down by Judge John Einhorn, Keeper will serve a 25 years to life term for an allegation of discharging a firearm and causing great bodily injury, plus three years for assault with a firearm and an additional four years for a gun use allegation. Then he'll serve a term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

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