BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The jury that convicted Herschel Slaughter on Monday of killing his ex-wife spared his life Thursday.
Mr. Slaughter, 48, of North Fairmount, faced a possible death sentence after a Hamilton County jury convicted him of aggravated murder for the Dec. 13 death of Antoinette Slaughter, 44. But the jury recommended life in prison with eligibility for parole in 30 years.
After pleading in court for her brother's life, Willa Pepper wiped tears from her eyes while walking from the courtroom.
"His life is going to be saved," Ms. Pepper said.
Before the jurors were sent to decide on a sentence, they heard from several witnesses who detailed Mr. Slaughter's life. They heard about his time with the Marines in Vietnam, and his bouts with those memories, as well as alcohol and drugs, defense attorney Peter Pandilidis said.
"You will not bring back Antoinette Slaughter by putting Herschel Slaughter to death," Mr. Pandilidis told jurors.
Mr. Slaughter and his former wife divorced about 10 years ago, but Mr. Slaughter would often stay with Ms. Slaughter, witnesses testified.
On Dec. 13, Mr. Slaughter was accused of beating his ex-wife in her Mount Auburn home with a metal pipe after she was to have met with her new boyfriend. Prosecutors said he then stole her stereo, and sold it for $50.
Defense attorneys said Mr. Slaughter visited his ex-wife's apartment the morning of her death, and saw her beaten body. But Mr. Slaughter insisted he did not kill her, rather he fled.
The recommended sentence left a few members of Ms. Slaughter's family uneasy.
"He got off," said Phylecia Gunn, a cousin of Ms. Slaughter. A death sentence would have been hard for some family members to accept, she said, but the idea of Mr. Slaughter being paroled in the future is unsettling.
"The least they could do is not let him outside prison again," Ms. Gunn said.
