GUILTY LA - Melanie Baker, 23, shot to death, Gibsland, 15 Nov 2003

Melanie came to the corner of Third and Mill Streets, where the car either struck a curb or ran off the road. Baker then swerved the Grand Am diagonally in front of the Mustang. He got out, walked to the driver's door of the Mustang and confronted his wife with a handgun. The other occupants fled the Mustang except for Matthew, who stood by the passenger door.

Baker accused Melanie of “playing games” with him: he was giving her all his money and was going to kill her. Matthew screamed at him, “Don't do it!” but Baker shot her twice at close range, once in the chest and once in the head. He then pointed the gun at Tanisha, who had taken refuge beside a nearby abandoned house, and said, “I should kill you too,” but he did not fire any more shots. He told Matthew, who was still standing by the Mustang, “I'm sorry, boy, sorry I did it”...

By a vote of 11-1, the jury found Baker guilty as charged of second degree murder. The court imposed the mandatory life sentence without benefits, and this appeal followed.

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