Indianapolis News and Headlines

Actions

Christopher Justice gets 24 years for ex-wife's shooting outside daycare

Christopher Justice gets 24 years for ex-wife's shooting outside daycare
Posted at 2:16 PM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-17 14:16:04-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- Christopher Justice was sentenced to 24 years in prison Thursday for shooting his ex-wife multiple times outside an Indianapolis daycare in February 2014.

Justice was arrested in Lexington, Kentucky, two days after he shot his ex-wife, Shirley Justice, as she was walking out of a west side daycare where she had just dropped off their daughter.

Shirley Justice was struck by multiple bullets, but survived the attack.

Marion County Judge Grant Hawkins found Justice guilty of attempted murder in July following a one-day bench trial.

MORE | Defense trying to keep shooting victim off TV

On Thursday, Hawkins sentenced Justice to 24 years in prison, with credit for 1,276 days already served behind bars while he awaited trial.

In an unusual move, Hawkins also placed an 18-month gag order on all parties in the case, beginning Thursday. Hawkins’ office said the gag order was to prevent “toxic” information from getting out during the appeal process.

The court had previously denied a motion for a gag order in the case in May 2014 by Justice’s attorneys.

 

Justice has been in custody at the Marion County Jail since his arrest in February 2014. He will be transferred to the Indiana Department of Correction once the judge determines where he will serve his sentence.

MORE FROM THE CRIME BEAT The ‘Grundy Crew’ has a long history in Indianapolis. It may have caught up with them. | PC: Man murdered over missing drugs belonging to the ‘Mexican Mafia’ | Why are .40-calibers surging in Indy as crime guns? | Message written in blood leads IMPD to murder suspect | MAP: 2017 Indianapolis Homicides