Jennifer Dalton was sentenced today to 40 years to life in prison for her second-degree murder conviction in the July 13, 2009, shooting death of her husband, Craig Dalton.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Helena R. Gweon handed down the term after rejecting the 42-year-old defendant's claim that she shot her husband in self defense.
The judge said Dalton showed "zero degree of remorse" for the killing that took place in the garage of her Elk Grove home. Gweon called Dalton "a serious danger to society."
Dalton told the court that her husband, who had separated from her, was breaking into her garage and had threatened to kill her when she shot him.
"The law says I can stand my ground," she said.
Several relatives of the 39-year-old victim gave statements about a man they described as a great father and brother.
Dalton's brother, Bruce Turner, read his statement after carrying his brother's ashes into the courtroom.
The defendant, Turner said, "took my wonderful brother and left me this urn" that contained the ashes.
Turner called Jennifer Dalton "the most callous and unfeeling" person he had ever experienced.
Craig Dalton's daughter from a previous wife, Tatum Dalton, 14, told the defendant, "There are no words to describe how much I hate you."
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