BY ALEX PIAZZA
apiazza@record-eagle.com
BEULAH — A judge will determine how long Joni Holbrook will spend behind bars exactly one year after she killed her husband, a state police sergeant.
Benzie Circuit Judge James M. Batzer is expected to sentence Joni Holbrook, 48, on Aug. 10 in Beulah. Joni Holbrook killed her husband, state police Sgt. Melvin Paul Holbrook, with his service weapon on Aug. 10, 2009, as he slept in their Benzie County home, then called 911 and reported the incident.
Court officials said the sentencing date was not scheduled to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the shooting.
"It's entirely coincidence," said Batzer, who added he generally handles sentencing cases on Tuesdays.
Joni Holbrook this month pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after agreeing to a last-minute plea deal the day before her jury trial was set to begin.
As part of the deal, Joni Holbrook will spend no more than 15 years in prison.
She told Batzer when she entered her plea that she killed her husband because he subjected her to years of mental, physical and sexual abuse.
Melvin Holbrook, 53, spent 23 years with the state police, and worked as a desk sergeant at the Traverse City post at the time of his death.
He previously served at posts in Ionia, Coldwater, Manistee and Richmond.
Joni Holbrook remains in the Benzie County Jail as she awaits sentencing.
