A New Jersey man who killed his girlfriend while on probation at a private halfway house is seeking a shorter prison sentence.
David Goodell's lawyer on Tuesday asked an appeals court to cut the 33-year-old's 45-year sentence. The attorney argued the term is too long.
Goodell had faked a seizure while living at a halfway house in Newark in 2010 and escaped from a hospital. He then met his girlfriend and strangled 21-year-old Viviana Tulli after the two had argued.
The Record newspaper reports the judges did not question either side during the appeal.
The case drew attention when the New York Times reported about abuses in the state's publicly funded but privately run halfway house system. The newspaper highlighted the industry's ties to Gov. Chris Christie.
