A judge on Tuesday spared John Blanchard, foregoing a possible death sentence in favor of life in prison with the possibility of parole for the strangulation murder of his ex-wife.
Third District Judge Pat Brian set that sentence after a 12-member jury was unable to agree on whether the 52-year-old Blanchard should be executed or imprisoned for life without parole.Under statute, Brian was then required to hand down the more lenient penalty, which he did after Blanchard asked for immediate sentencing.
The sentence came after jurors heard that Blanchard suffers from multiple mental disorders, including manic depression, borderline personality disorder and alcoholism.
Stephen Golding, a psychology professor, testified on the 52-year-old Blanchard's mental state Monday during the penalty phase of Blanchard's trial.
In closing statement Tuesday, Summit County Attorney Robert Adkins charged that Blanchard is "manipulative. He's trying to manipulate the psychiatrists and you, the jury.
"You know what the appropriate penalty is," he added. "Let your sentence do justice for the death of Patty Blanchard."
Defense attorney Wendy Lewis asked jurors to consider Blanchard's children, who has testified last week they did not want their father executed.
"What we need to do now is end this tragedy for the children. Give him an opportunity to some day get out on parole and be a part of their lives," Lewis pleaded.
Blanchard was convicted after 31/2 hours of deliberation on May 2 by the same 12-member jury.
He confessed to police that he killed his wife, but testified at trial that his statement was "disgusting babble" and lies.
In the confession, laced with obscenities, Blanchard described to police how his ex-wife Patricia Ann Blanchard refused to die in a struggle that lasted 20 minutes.
He told officers that he had planned for months to kill her, and that he had no regrets.
Prosecutors said Blanchard slashed the tires on his ex-wife's truck that night, then broke into her Park City home, crept up the stairs and raped her before strangling her with his hands.
A medical examiner testified Patricia Blanchard was choked so forcefully that a bone deep in her neck snapped in two.