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Man Gets 25 Years For Murdering His Stepfather

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Feb 13, 2008 2:10 pm US/Pacific

Man Gets 25 Years For Murdering His Stepfather

TORRANCE, Calif. A man, from Torrance, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years to life in state prison for fatally stabbing his stepfather.

Torrance Superior Court Judge Francis Hourigan denied the defense's request for a new trial for Ashton Hurst, who was convicted Dec. 14 of first-degree murder.

Robert Gauci, 44, who was a baseball coach at Harbor College, was stabbed to death on Feb. 8, 2005, during a fight with his stepson outside the family's Torrance home.

Hurst was allegedly upset because Gauci didn't want him living there any longer.

Defense attorney Henry Salcido contended during the trial that Hurst was mentally ill and killed his stepfather in self-defense because the older man tried to sexually assault him, the Daily Breeze reported.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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