LANCASTER, S.C. (AP) — A former South Carolina police officer accused of fatally injuring his wife then faking a car accident afterward has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Lancaster County Clerk Jeff Hammond says a jury found James Baldwin Jr. guilty of murder on Tuesday.
Prosecutors say James Baldwin beat Judy Orr Baldwin in 2016, giving her a 9-inch skull fracture. James Baldwin told police she fell while hanging Christmas ornaments and he crashed into a creek during the drive to the hospital. Prosecutors contend her injuries weren’t consistent with a car crash.
News outlets report forensic experts called by the defense disputed the prosecution’s findings about evidence at the scene. James Baldwin maintains his innocence.
James Baldwin was an officer with the York and Columbia police departments.
