Summary: A jury found prominent Atlanta attorney Tex McIver guilty of murdering his wife in a staged accident, coming with it a mandatory life sentence in prison.
Tex McIver, an Atlanta attorney, was on trial for the murder of his wife, Diane, in September 2016. He claimed her death was the result of his gun accidentally firing from the back seat of their SUV. The jury disagreed with his claims, finding McIver guilty of murder after six weeks of witness testimony and arguments.
McIver, 75, received the jury’s verdict Monday afternoon. The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for 29 hours over five days to reach the verdict. They found him guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and influencing witnesses, according to CBS News. He was not found guilty of malice murder. He now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison and a possibility of parole.
During the trial, there was no doubt that McIver was guilty of shooting his wife. The question being argued was if the death was a tragic accident or if he intentionally shot his wife. The challenge for the prosecution team was pinning down the motivation.
The couple was riding in their SVU with family friend Dani Jo Carter driving the car. The three were returning from a weekend at McIver’s horse farm in Putnam County. There was a high amount of traffic in Atlanta that day so Carter exited the interstate in downtown Atlanta. Soon after, with McIver in the backseat and Diane in the front passenger seat, McIver fired the gun and hit his wife in the back. Carter drove to Emory University Hospital where Diane was pronounced dead.
Prosecutors argued that the motivation for the murder was money. Even though McIver was a partner at a major labor and employment law firm, Fisher & Phillips, and on the state election board. His wife was the president of U.S. Enterprises Inc., the parent company of Corey Airport Services. She had worked there for 43 years.
However, McIver recently lost his equity partnership in the law firm so his income dropped dramatically. When McIver and Diane married, they were both entering their second marriage. They kept their finances separate so his loss of income meant that he depended on her for money.
The defense team contended the state’s case was trying to put a motive to an accident. Attorney Bruce Harvey and co-counsel Don Samuel admit that their client is not perfect but insist he loved his wife and had no reason to kill her intentionally.
McIver was immediately handcuffed and prepared for jail. A sentencing date was not yet announced.
If you have been following the case, were you surprised by the verdict? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
To learn more about the progress of the case, read these articles:
- Atlanta Attorney Charged in Shooting Death of His Wife
- Tex McIver Charged with Unlawfully Influencing Witnesses
- Murder Trial Resumes for Attorney Tex McIver
Photo: myajc.com