American sentenced to hang in Malaysia for killing ex-wife

An American man was sentenced to death by hanging in Malaysia on Tuesday for murdering his ex-wife, but his lawyer said he was acting in self-defence and would appeal.

Gerald Wayne Mickelson, 63, was convicted of strangling Guilda Mickelson in Kuala Lumpur in November 2016, his lawyer K A Ramu said.

Mickelson, who had been working as a telecommunications consultant in Malaysia, was about to move to the Philippines to be with his new wife when his former partner called him.

When Mickelson went to see her in a serviced apartment complex, the 62-year-old allegedly tried to kill him, resulting in a struggle that ended in her death, Ramu said.

The lawyer said Mickelson had no motive to murder his ex-wife and even called the management of the building after killing her, rather than fleeing.

An appeal is expected to be filed within the next two weeks.

Malaysia has a mandatory death penalty for murder, which is always carried out by hanging.

-PTI