By Associated Press - Thursday, May 14, 2015

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - Southern Oregon jurors have convicted a 43-year-old man of murdering his girlfriend despite the defense contention that he was only trying to stop the woman’s drunken nagging.

The Medford Mail Tribune reports (https://is.gd/05aRq2 ) jurors took about four hours to convict Robert Simonson in the Nov. 1, 2013, fatal shooting of 52-year-old Kimberly Staack in a Rogue River apartment.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Kim Ravassipour sentenced him to life in prison. Simonson will be eligible for parole after 25 years.

Prosecutors described the victim as a “mean drunk” who badgered Simonson for hours before he fired one warning shot, then another round into the woman’s head.

Defense lawyer Donald Scales said a drunken and sleep-deprived Simonson pointed the gun near Staack only “to put the ringing in her ears,” but tragically shot her.

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Information from: Mail Tribune, https://www.mailtribune.com/

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