Despite hearing almost-murdered Roxane Johnson-Sterling’s pleas to just sentence her husband to probation, a Collin Co. jury sentenced Albert Sterling to two consecutive 15-year terms in prison yesterday, after he was found guilty last Friday of hiring a hitman to kill her and their then unborn child.
“I ask you to hear me as a mother. Take into consideration my two sons…. They need their daddy,” she said, her words muffled by her sobbing. “Forget about all the other witnesses. Forget about all that. Think about my boys.”
Sterling had also asked the jury to consider placing him on probation so he could help raise his two sons, 4-year-old Ryan and 13-month-old Reese.
When she finished speaking, she and Mr. Sterling were both in tears and wiping their faces with tissues.
With good behavior, he may only serve 10 years. Sterling’s lawyers will appeal the sentence. They said they thought he would be found not guilty, and that the punishment was too harsh, claiming that even murderers receive lighter sentences.
The well-educated Mrs. Sterling was desperately fighting to maintain her lifestyle and that of her family, which is unfortunately so often the case when domestic violence involves an affluent family. Victims will do virtually anything to keep what they have and so want.
Tragically, life will certainly never be the same for the Sterling family. But at least her children will have their mother.
