Former Economics professor Rafael Robb will be sentenced today in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for killing his wife, Ellen, in December 2006.
Lawyers for Rafael Robb - who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last November - are expected to argue that Ellen Robb's mental health at the time is a reason he should receive a relatively light sentence.
According to Pennsylvania sentencing guidelines, a standard sentence for a voluntary manslaughter plea is four-and-a-half to six years in prison.
However, if the judge determines that the case has an aggravating factor - a reason that warrants a harsher sentence - Robb, 58, could receive up to 20 years in prison.
Over the summer, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Paul Tressler released both Ellen and Rafael Robb's psychological records to the prosecution and the defense, per the request of Robb's attorney.
"The defense is trying to mitigate his behavior," Patrick Artur, a Philadelphia-based criminal lawyer, said.
William Brennan, another Philadelphia-based criminal lawyer, agreed, adding that Robb's attorney, Frank DeSimone, "is an experienced lawyer," who will bring up any relevant mental-health records.
Bruce Castor, the prosecutor for this case, is likely to have some of Ellen Robb's family members talk about the impact of her death on the family and on the Robbs' daughter, Olivia.
DeSimone declined to comment on the case.
Artur also called Tressler a "very straight-forward judge" who will give both sides time to establish their arguments.
However, Tressler will require a great deal of evidence from the defense to reduce Robb's sentence, Artur claimed.
Brennan believes it is unlikely that Robb will receive a sentence above the standard range because he pleaded guilty.
Generally, defendants only receive these harsher sentences if their cases go to trial, Brennan explained.
Brennan described Castor, who remains a prosecutor on the case despite having become a county commissioner, as "a competent fellow," but added that Robb is "in good hands" with DeSimone.
When Robb pleaded guilty, he admitted to bludgeoning Ellen with a chin-up bar at their Upper Merion home in December 2006, after the couple got into an argument about their daughter's vacation plans.
"I just lost it," he said.
