ORANGE — A man who says he accidentally shot and killed his wife has been sentenced to two years in prison by an Orange County Jury.
Robert Hand, 53, of Orange, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the March 2017 shooting death of his wife Megan Smith, 24, on Wednesday and later sentenced by a jury.
Hand is set to serve two years in prison and was fined $10,000.
"We were happy about the end result of the trial," said Rife Kimler, the defense attorney.
Hand testified Tuesday that the shooting was an accident and that he believed the gun was empty when it fired mortally wounding Smith.
He testified that he purchased the gun October of 2016, before he and Smith moved into the married couples Orange home.
Ray Shaver, who lived with the couple and witnessed the shooting, testified that Hand hugged Smith moments before the handgun fired.
Judy Smith, the grandmother of Megan Smith says that she was unhappy about the verdict and believed that Hand deserved a harsher punishment.
Several family members of Megan Smith say that not only did Hand supply marijuana to Megan Smith when they were together, but was abusive toward her.
"If anything Megan told us was brought up in trial, then there would have been a much different outcome." said Rico Vasquez, the cousin of Megan Smith.
