LANSING, Mich., March 31 (UPI) -- A man convicted of strangling and dismembering his wife lost his appeal in the Michigan Supreme Court, which upheld his sentence of at least 50 years.
In a brief ruling, the three-judge panel said it rejected the appeal by Stephen Grant, of Macomb County, because "we were not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court," The Detroit News reported.
Grant, 39, is serving a 50- to 80-year sentence for killing his wife, Tara, in 2007 five days before reporting her missing. He ultimately confessed he killed her, cut her body into pieces and dumped them in a park near his home.
The high court rejected Grant's contention that Macomb Circuit Judge Diane Druzinski violated his rights by exceeding sentencing guidelines.
Grant also said his trial should have been moved out of Macomb County because so many people there were familiar with the case. But the appeals court found the trial court took actions to ensure an unbiased jury.
