BANGOR — A Maine man who shot his sister-in-law 10 times — pausing to reload — was convicted of murder Monday.
Jurors rejected the contention by Philip Clark’s lawyers that circumstances leading up to the shooting in Hampden warranted a conviction of manslaughter, not murder. Clark will face 25 year to life in prison when he’s sentenced.
Clark told investigators that he snapped because the victim, Renee Henneberry Clark, pushed “every frigging button.”
Henneberry Clark had filed a criminal trespass order against Clark and a protection order against her estranged husband, Clark’s brother. The shooting, in July 2018, happened after a confrontation over Clark’s tools being removed and taken to Henneberry Clark’s home.
The prosecutor said Clark went to Henneberry Clark’s apartment and used two clips of ammunition because he wanted her dead.
“Philip Clark did not go to Renee’s apartment to scare her. He went there to kill her. If you’re going to go scare someone, why bring at least two clips?” Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese told jurors in her closing argument.
Defense attorney David Bate told jurors that Clark was caught in the middle of a divorce war and that “spontaneous rage” affected his decision making. “This case is about how his conduct was driven by forces beyond his control,” Bate said.
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