Woman accused of beating lover to death turns self in for sentence

<p>Admitted killer Dionne Baugh turned herself in at the Fulton County Courthouse to begin serving 10 years in prison for beating her millionaire lover to death.</p><p>Baugh, 36, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last month in the death of 41-year-old Lance Herndon, the chief executive officer of the Roswell computer consulting firm, Access Inc., who was beaten with a blunt object inside his mansion in 1996.</p><p>Baugh irritated prosecutors Tuesday when she arrived about an hour late to begin her sentence.</p><p>"That's the same arrogance she showed during her plea," prosecutor Anna Green said.</p><p>Last week, Baugh laughed and talked on a cell phone during a court break minutes before pleading guilty. Prosecutors said Baugh has not shown remorse and still does not seem to grasp her future behind bars.</p><p>Baugh was convicted of murder in 2001, but that conviction was later thrown out by the Georgia Supreme Court after justices ruled that disputed trial testimony from a police detective should not have been allowed. Last November, a judge declared a mistrial after the second trial because the jury deadlocked.</p><p>After last month's guilty plea, Fulton Superior Court Judge Isaac Jenrette sentenced Baugh to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation. If convicted of murder at trial, she would have received a life sentence.</p><p>Prosecutors said Baugh crushed Herndon's skull in a rage at his mansion in Aug. 8, 1996, because he had planned to cut off their relationship and her access to his credit cards and Mercedes.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x28655a0)</p>