By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
UPDATED: 17:25 EST, 13 October 2011
This was also shown on Scorned: love kills
The mistress of a pastor was today sentenced to seven years in prison after a jury convicted her of murder in the shooting detah of her lover’s wife.
Tyonne Palmer, 32, from Texas, wiped tears from her eyes as prosecutors called her a manipulative liar and said she deserved far more than her seven years for taking the life of Pauletta Burleson, 56, last year.
Assistant district attorney Kari Allen said: ‘You can’t just kill somebody because you don’t want to go through a divorce.That’s not right.’
Accused: Tyonne Marie Palmer-Pollard, left, was sentenced to seven years in prison for her involvement in the murder of Pastor Tracy Burleson’s wife
Her defence lawyers argued that she was not the mastermind behind the murder but wrapped up in an elaborate plot at the hands of Pastor Tracy T.B. Burleson, who was convicted last month of capital murder for paying his son to kill his wife.
Son: William Fuller, is the admitted triggerman allegedly hired by his own father to kill Paulette Burleson
Palmer was convicted of tampering with evidence and murder for her role in the intricate scheme which was discovered after William Fuller, 21, confessed to shooting his stepmother in the back of the head after he was promised money from her life insurance policy.
Fuller was also said to be having a relationship with Palmer when the execution-style killing was carried out.
Fuller’s capital murder charge was reduced to murder after cooperating with prosecutors by testifying against his father and Palmer.
Prosecutors described a sordid love triangle involving father and son who were infatuated with 32-year-old Palmer.
They said she began an affair with Fuller while looking after him when he was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia.
Murdered: Paulette Burleson was arranged to be killed so her pastor husband could cash in on her life insurance policy
Scene: Tracy Burleson, pastor of the First New Mount Calvary Baptist Church, is accused of masterminding the murder of his wife a year ago
But she was also having an affair with his father and seeing both men secretly.
Palmer is alleged to have helped cover up the murder by collecting Fuller after he shot his step mother dead and disposing of the murder weapon.
The 32-year-old was convicted of two felonies, but both sentences will run at the same time. She will have to serve at least half of the sentence before being eligible for parole.