A Michigan man convicted of killing his wife with a hammer maintained his innocence before being sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The Times Herald of Port Huron reports 40-year-old Douglas Ball Jr. of Port Huron was given the mandatory punishment Thursday for first-degree murder. A St. Clair County jury earlier convicted him of murder and torture in the August death of 30-year-old Lydia Ball.
Douglas Ball read from a statement, saying: "From the bottom of my heart, I did not kill my wife."
Prosecutors say Lydia Ball was struck 14 times in the head. Douglas Ball's lawyer had argued that investigators ignored or overlooked evidence that might have pointed to another suspect.
Ball received a 19- to 30-year-sentence for torture to be served at the same time.
