Infamous Montana newlywed Jordan Linn Graham will be spending the next 30 years behind bars for pushing her husband of barely a week off a cliff to his death.
Thursday afternoon, a federal judge sentenced 22-year-old Graham to 365 months in prison followed by five years supervised release in connection with the July 2013 death of Cody Johnson. (Via NBC)
KPAX reports the judge told the courtroom Graham's punishment was toward the "high end" of federal sentencing guidelines.
According to the Missoulian, the judge insisted Graham showed no remorse for her actions. He's quoted as telling the courtroom, "She was a normal person, at least on the surface. But how does a normal person kill her husband of eight days?”
Back in December, Graham was being tried on first-degree murder charges and was nearing the end of the trial when she decided to take a plea deal from the prosecution.
She then pleaded guilty to second-degree murder instead, admitting to luring Johnson to Glacier National Park and, once they got there, shoving him off a popular hiking trail. (Via ABC)
The 22-year-old had originally told investigators her new husband had taken a trip with friends from out of state and she didn't know what happened to him.
But she eventually went back on that story, admitting that she and Johnson got into an argument while walking on the trail and saying she accidentally pushed him harder than she had planned. (Via HLN)
CNN reports Graham tried to flip flop once again Wednesday when she filed a motion to withdraw her guilty plea after prosecutors asked the judge to sentence her to 50 years to life.
But the prosecution claimed she was just trying to delay sentencing. Her request was ultimately denied Thursday, and the judge handed down her sentence. (Via KBGF)
Cody Johnson's remaining relatives told reporters they had hoped Graham would be given a harsher sentence.
"We're not real happy with the sentence term. I mean, it is what it is, we wished it was going to be longer. But we're happy she'll be behind bars. (Via CNN)
Graham's attorney says they don't have plans to appeal the decision just yet.
