INMAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HIS WIFE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PARKING LOT

An Inman man received a death sentence this afternoon for shooting his wife to death in the parking lot of a local police department.

A jury of nine men and three women deliberated for 31/2 hours before rendering its verdict during the penalty phase of Marion Alexander Lindsey’s capital murder trial.

Lindsey, 31, shot Ruby Nell Lindsey to death Sept. 18, 2002 while she and two small children hid in the back seat of a friend’s car in the parking lot of the Inman Police Department. Mrs. Lindsey was on the telephone with a 911 operator when her husband approached the car she was riding in and fired his handgun four times.

The jury deliberated for less than 15 minutes Friday afternoon before rendering its verdict on the guilt phase of the proceeding.

"I hope today’s verdict helps Nell’s family heal from a horrific tragedy," Solicitor Trey Gowdy said. "Nell did everything she could do to get away from an abusive relationship and it wasn’t enough. "

Gowdy told the jury that there was no question that Marion Lindsey had malice in his heart on the day of the murder.

An emotional Gowdy told the jury, "Malice is firing a gun into a car with two children in it."

During the penalty phase of the trial, prosecutors cited examples where Lindsey beat his wife in front of others. They also made repeated references that include arrests on multiple counts of domestic violence, assault and battery with intent to kill and trafficking crack cocaine.

Circuit Judge John Few set a tentative execution date for July 26, 2004. The actual date of Lindsey’s death will be determined once he exhausts all of his appeals.