News

Actions

Carlsbad woman convicted of killing husband could have years removed from sentence

Posted at 9:17 AM, Aug 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-22 16:27:41-04

VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - A Carlsbad mother of three who was found guilty of shooting her husband to death will get the opportunity to have 25 years removed from her original prison sentence.

Julie Harper was convicted in a 2015 retrial of second-degree murder in the death of her husband Jason Harper. Prosecutors said Harper killed her husband in their bedroom while their children were downstairs.

Harper claimed her husband of 10 years was abusive and she admitted to firing one shot at him that led to his death. She was given a 40-years-to-life sentence in January 2016 -- with 25 years to life for personal use of a firearm that resulted in death.

However, because of a new California law (Senate Bill 620) that took effect at the start of 2018, judges are allowed to remove the “firearms enhancement” at a sentencing.

Judge Blaine Bowman, who presided over Harper’s two murder trials, assigned an Oct. 29 status conference to give Harper’s public defender time to work on the case.

A sentencing hearing date will be set following the status conference.

WATCH JULIE HARPER'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH 10NEWS (JAN. 2016):