KCRG
November 6, 2013
A Burlington man proclaimed his innocence as he was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his wife.
The Burlington Hawk Eye reports 38-year-old Chico Newman blamed police and prosecutors Monday before Judge John Linn imposed a mandatory life sentence for first-degree murder.
Newman was convicted last month in the Aug. 9, 2012, shooting death of his wife, 32-year-old Crystal Newman, during an argument. He claimed she killed herself.
During the hearing, Newman pointed to Burlington officer Eric Short and maintained the investigator knew he didn’t kill his wife.
Crystal Newman’s sister, Emerald Johnson, read brief statements from the victim’s children. The couple’s 9-year-old son wrote, “I am mad at my Dad forever.”