A north-east man jailed in America for the gunshot manslaughter of his disabled wife could serve only half of his sentence in prison.
Wayne Fraser avoided life imprisonment when a jury convicted him of a lesser homicide offence for blasting his wheelchair-bound spouse, 55, with her handgun.
The 47-year-old had denied a first-degree murder charge during a trial following Natalie Ryan-Fraser’s death at a Mississippi apartment in December 2021.
On Friday, he was punished with a 20-year-long custodial sentence – the maximum possible for culpable negligent manslaughter – but he’ll be eligible for parole halfway through the term.
It means Fraser could be released early into the community under conditions for the rest of his sentence after just 10 years of incarceration for his deadly crime.
Wayne Fraser has right to appeal conviction
In the meantime, the Scots expat has the right to appeal his conviction after a jury trial at Lowndes County Court House, which unfolded in the southern city of Columbus last week.
But Fraser, who remained in custody during a 20-month-long wait for his day in court, would face another long delay in potentially overturning the court case’s outcome.
That’s according to Jacob Howard, Legal Director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law.
He told The Press and Journal: “Generally speaking, the whole process —from notice of appeal to the court’s decision —usually takes about a year to a year and a half”.
Fraser’s conviction has transferred the responsibility for his captivity from Lowndes County Adult Detention Center to a prison run by the state’s Department Of Corrections.
Convicts are first transferred 150 miles from the local lock-up to the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility near Pearl in Rankin County.
There, Fraser undergoes up to 45 days of a process called “initial orientation and classification”.
Newcomers entering the penal system receive a haircut, shower and clean clothing.
Then their mental and physical health and educational ability are assessed through tests, background interviews and psychological evaluations.
Fraser will be scored a custody rating that decides the type of facility in which he will be permanently housed after an initial period of close supervision.
The facility’s potentially restrictive environment depends on the perceived risk that Fraser may pose to the security of the building, its staff and other inmates.
Bizarre items forbidden from his mail
He will be told about the rules and regulations he is expected to obey and he’ll be given a copy of the inmate handbook as a reminder.
Fraser’s postal mail will be monitored as part of checks to prevent contraband from reaching his cell.
Among a long list, the more bizarre forbidden items include Tarot cards, stencil coloring books and singing greetings cards.
But most appropriate, given the violent drunk’s trigger-happy offence, Fraser may not have photos displaying weapons or showing alcohol.
The dark truth about Wayne Fraser came to light in the American courtroom, where jurors saw straight through the dishonest domestic abuser’s lies.
Evidence that Natalie, a Texas-based university professor, had previously suffered violence at the hands of Fraser emerged during testimony heard from the witness stand.
It was revealed that the couple had both been drinking and were “probably intoxicated” at the time when Fraser pulled the trigger on his helpless partner.
The ex-pupil of Mintlaw Academy, who also attended Banff and Buchan College, had turned defenceless Natalie’s own firearm against her while she was sitting in her wheelchair.
Bullet went straight through victim Natalie Ryan-Fraser’s neck
Forensic science proved that Fraser was facing his wife of almost 10 years when he snuffed out her life, firing a single 9mm bullet straight through her neck.
The jury unanimously disbelieved his various claims of an accidental discharge or a game gone wrong.
Fraser had previously told one of Natalie’s siblings that she had shot herself, telling her brother Kory Ryan over the phone about the false account of the incident 5 hours after it happened.
Mr Ryan then raised the alarm by calling 911 to report the tragedy that eventually led to Fraser’s imprisonment.
Read more about the emails and mobile phone images that gave away sinister Wayne Fraser:
Read more about the prosecutor’s ‘tough’ challenge to expose the ‘inconsistencies’ in Fraser’s defence:
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