J. J. Paulsen

Last updated

J. J. Paulsen
Born
John James Paulsen

(1959-11-23) November 23, 1959 (age 63) [1]
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, television producer
SpouseLeanne Serrano

John James "J.J." Paulsen (born November 23, 1959) is an American sitcom writer, television producer, and convicted murderer. He has written for several television programs including Cosby , In Living Color and Grace Under Fire .

In the spring of 2007 Paulsen was arrested for the murder of his wife, Leanne Serrano-Paulsen, after police found her body in the attic of their Carmel, Indiana home. Serrano-Paulsen's autopsy results indicated she died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, and that she had been dead for two to three weeks prior to the discovery of her body. [2] The couple had a history of domestic violence, and in January 2007 J.J. Paulsen pled guilty to domestic battery stemming from an incident the previous year. [3]

On December 23, 2008, Paulsen pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. [4] On March 27 of the following year, Paulsen was sentenced to 26 years in prison [5] He was incarcerated at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana and released early on September 12, 2016.

Margaret Cho, who knew Paulsen when he worked on her 1994–95 sitcom All American Girl , subsequently wrote a song about him. [6]

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References

  1. "Indiana Offender Database Search" . Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  2. "Man charged in wife's beating death". WTHR. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 19, 2007.
  3. "TV comedy writer charged in wife's death". Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 19, 2007.
  4. Hayes, Melanie D. (December 27, 2008). "Husband reportedly makes plea deal in wife's death". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, IN. p. B.5.
  5. "Cosby producer gets 26 years in wife's death". Associated Press. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  6. Margaret Cho reveals the true story behind the 'country murder ballad' on her upcoming album, at Entertainment Weekly , by Mandi Bierly. June 7, 2010; retrieved October 25, 2010