US Man Sent to Prison For Biting a Chunk Off Wife's Nose

Connecticut: A man who bit off a chunk of his wife's nose, permanently disfiguring her, will spend more than six years in prison following his Tuesday sentencing.

Rodwell Clay, 55, was sentenced after pleading under the Alford doctrine to a first-degree assault charge, the Hartford Court reported. That means while he does not agree with all the state's allegations, he acknowledges there is enough evidence to convict him.

Clay bit the victim in their Bloomfield home in August 2015, prosecutors said. The couple has since divorced.

She now wants nothing to do with Clay, who stalked, harassed and threatened her during their marriage, she said in court. Every day she looks in the mirror she's reminded of the attack and hopes to have surgery to further repair the damage, she said.

Clay told the judge he still loves the victim, still considers her his wife despite the divorce and compared his prosecution to the persecution of Christ. He apologized only after his attorney prompted him to do so.

That led prosecutor Christopher Pelosi to say Clay's apparent lack of remorse makes him fear for the victim.

"The state has concerns for her life," he said.

Clay was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with 6½ years to serve, and three years of probation. He also was also barred from contacting his ex-wife.