ActorMichael Jace, best known for playing Los Angeles cop Julien Lowe on FX’s groundbreaking crime drama seriesThe Shield, will likely be spending the rest of his life behind bars. The actor was sentenced to a term of 40 years to life for murdering his wifeAprilback in May 2014.Michael Jacewas convicted ofsecond-degree murderlast week, after the jury of six men and six women deliberated for less than three hours.
Michael Jaceturned himself into the police shortly after fatally shooting his wifeApril, once in the back and two times in the legs. Prosecutors cited testimony from the couple’s 10-year-old son, who testified that the actor told his wife, a former world-class sprinter, that “If you like running, then run to heaven” before firing the second shot, according toABC 7. The actor’s defense attorney,Jamon Hicks, argued that his client should be charged withvoluntary manslaughter, since the crime wasn’t pre-meditated and was done in the heat of passion.
Soon after the actor attacked his wife,Jacetold detectives that he retrieved his gun to kill himself, but he couldn’t go through with it. He then told them that he planned to shoot her in the leg, so she would feel pain. The actor had been inpolice custodyever since turning himself in back in 2014. Prosecutors argued thatMichael Jacewas upset because his wife wanted adivorceand he thought she was having anaffair.
There was no evidence presented at the trial that suggested his wife was cheating on him. The actor’s prison term includes a 15-to-life sentence for the murder and a 25-to-life sentence for the gun enhancement charge. The jury concluded that the actor did use a personal handgun in the murder. Before his sentence was handed down,Michael Jacesaid that there were “no justifications for my actions” and apologized to his late wife’s family.
Michael Jacestarred in all 89 episodes of FX’sThe Shieldduring its seven year run on FX between 2002 and 2008. Before the series, he had small roles in films such asForrest Gump,Clear and Present Danger, the HBO TV movieTyson,The Great White Hype,The Fan,Boogie Nights,The ReplacementsandPlanet of the Apes. AfterThe Shieldwent off the air, he starred inState of Playalong with guest-starring spots in TV shows such asRizzoli and Isles,CSI,Burn Notice,The Mentalist,Nikita, and most recently,Southland.
