Jury Recommends 26 Years in Huguely Trial

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA— A Charlottesville jury recommended that Chevy Chase native George Huguely V spend 26 years behind bars Wednesday evening in the 2010 killing of ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love, of Cockeysville.

The sentence— 25 years for second-degree murder and one year for grand larceny— ends the more than two-week trial.

The jury began deliberating the sentence shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday, and returned the verdict at 10 p.m.

Before Huguely heard his convictions, he stood and made the sign of the cross, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

Huguely sat with his head bowed and his eyes closed for much of the sentencing hearing, about three hours later. Family and friends, some with ash on their foreheads to mark Ash Wednesday, also bowed their heads as the sentence was read. As they left the courthouse following the hearing, a young girl sobbed.

Huguely could have faced five to 40 years in prison on the murder conviction and up to 20 years on the larceny conviction. Huguely has served nearly two years since his 2010 arrest.

After the jury's recommendation, Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire will hand down a final sentence April 16.

Virginia law does not offer parole in most cases, including Huguely's, Hogshire said.

"There's no winners and no losers in this case," said Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Chapman.

Defense attorney Francis McQ. Lawrence did not take questions, but in a brief statement outside the courthouse he said "we look forward to some corrections in what happened here tonight."

Jurors declined to be interviewed as they left the courtroom.

Huguely was evening of second-degree murder and grand larceny, charges stemming from the early hours of May 3, 2010, when he burst into Love's Charlottesville apartment and the two got into a fight shortly after Huguely learned of infidelities by Love. A roommate found her half-naked in a pool of blood, and resuscitation efforts failed.

In a statement, Sharon and Lexie Love—her mother and sister, respectively—thanked Chapman and thanked friends and supporters.

"It is truly devastating to wake up each day and realize that (Yeardley) is no longer here," they said in the statement. "Yeardley's contagious smile, kind spirit and gentle touch have left this world but we know that heaven has an angel like no other."

during the Wednesday evening sentencing hearing.  “Every year that goes by I'm afraid I'm forgetting little pieces about her,” Sharon Love told the jury, sobbing. In the courthouse, her daughter Lexie also cried.

Lexie Love, who is planning her wedding, told the jury there was a “hole” in her life that will “always be there – nothing’s going to fill it.”

"I never wanted anything so badly in my life than to see her face again,” she said.

Huguely and Love were both lacrosse players at the University of Virginia. The trial included testimony from friends, teammates and neighbors who painted a picture of Huguely and Love's stormy, turbulent relationship.

Huguely was known to have a problem with alcohol. His prior convictions included Virginia charges of resisting arrest and public drunkenness. Following a February 2010 incident where he, he wrote Love a letter admitting he had a problem and that he was "scared to know that I can get that drunk to the point where I cannot control how I act."

Huguely spent the day leading to Love's death on a father-son golf tournament with teammates, visibly intoxicated and slurring his words, having drank for much of the day and well after dinner.

Evidence at trial included Huguely's letter, the door Huguely broke in and investigator photographs of Love's body and her autopsy. The photographs were shown on monitors only visible to the jury, judge and attorneys.

Speaking during the sentencing hearing, defense attorney Rhonda Quagliana said that though the note was offered as evidence against Huguely, it showed “seeds of redemption” because “the first step to change is recognizing you have a problem,” Quagliana said.

Huguely’s judgment, she said, was clouded by drinking, immaturity, and “the emotional turmoil of a dysfunctional relationship.”

“No person is the sum of the worst decisions they have ever made or the worst judgment they have ever exercised,” Quagliana said.