John Ward went to trial in January for the incident nearly three years ago
TRENTON - For a woman still reliving the fear of the moment her husband held her in a chokehold and pointed a gun at her head, prison seems like a short-term solution.
"She's on high alert, always looking over her shoulder," Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez told the courtroom Thursday, talking about the wife of 55-year-old John Ward.
John Ward That was at least part of the reason Jimenez issued Ward a 30-year prison sentence for assault, threat and weapons charges Thursday. He will need to serve 15 years before he is eligible for parole.
The sentence ends a nearly three-year case involving Ward, his wife of six years and her friend.
Ward and his wife were estranged three years ago when he lured her into their home, put her in a chokehold and threatened to kill her, prosecutors have said.
He held a gun to her head and clicked the trigger but the weapon was jammed. She managed to break after her friend - who was also at the house - called police, prosecutors have said.
Prosecutors offered Ward separate plea deals for 10 and 12 years in prison but turned them down, opting instead to go to trial, according Assistant Prosecutor Lauren Kotarba.
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That trial got underway in January and, after one day of deliberation a jury found Ward, 55, of Trenton not guilty of attempted murder. The jury did convict him on charges of aggravated assault, weapons charges and making terroristic threats.
A statement from Ward's wife was read at his sentencing Thursday. She said in the statement that the incident affected her life every day, Kotarba said.
"She fears him when he does get out (of prison)," Kotarba said.
Jimenez referenced that when imposing a sentence Thursday, saying in court that Ward's wife, "has been damaged emotionally."
The 30-year sentence came as a surprise to defense attorney Anthony Cowell, who said it was an unusually high sentence for the charges, especially since Ward was acquitted of attempted murder.
"They had a desire to lock him up for life," Cowell said.
Kotarba disagreed.
"He got absolutely what was allowed under the law," she said.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.