James Dorsey Sentenced To 35 1/2 Years To Life For Murder Of Estranged Wife, Michelle Dorsey
SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA) — A Washington man who pleaded no contest to the murder of his estranged wife in her Santa Clarita home was sentenced Monday to more than 35 years to life in state prison.
James Dorsey should spend the rest of his in prison, Superior Court Judge Cynthia L. Ulfig said, but he could not have faced a longer sentence in the April 15 murder of his estranged wife, 38-year-old Michelle Dorsey. Instead, Dorsey was sentenced to 35 ½ years to life in state prison.
"Obviously the feeling of the family members here, as well as this court, is that he should remain in prison for the rest of his life," Ulfig said.
Michelle Dorsey was found stabbed to death in her Santa Clarita home, while her children slept nearby. She was able to identify her estranged husband as her killer just before she died, according to authorities.
James Dorsey, who authorities say drove from his home in Washington state to commit the murder, pleaded no contest to the murder about a month later. But controversy erupted when Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon did not file special enhancements in the case.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Barry Hall, a homicide detective, had expressed outrage that prosecutors didn't include sentencing enhancements that would have allowed Dorsey to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole if he had been convicted of all charges.
The couple's children were not hurt and are in the care of their grandmother.
