Nearly 20 months after her husband was stabbed to death in a pitch-black parking lot, Daphne Stidham stood Tuesday just feet away from the man convicted of conspiring to kill him and pleaded for justice.
"I don't think I can forgive this kind of evil ever, at least in this lifetime," Stidham said. "What Bradley Schwartz took away from us is what we needed most: our future. With that, I'm asking you to keep him in prison forever with no parole."
In Pima County Superior Court, Judge Nanette Warner had no such option available to her, however. She sentenced Schwartz to life in prison with parole possible after 25 years for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the October 2004 death of Dr. David Brian Stidham, 37.
The judge also revoked Schwartz's medical license and ordered him to pay more than $13,000 in restitution.
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According to prosecutors, Schwartz, 41, grew to hate Dr. Stidham, a father of two, after Schwartz was forced into drug rehabilitation by the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners in the fall of 2002.
Schwartz expected Stidham to keep his practice going while he was gone, but Stidham started his own practice. Schwartz lost his hospital privileges, patients and staff members. Insurance companies also wouldn't pay for his services.
Although Schwartz made $100,000 a month in 2002, he made a total of $118,000 for all of 2003.
Eventually, prosecutors say, Schwartz hired Ronald Bruce Bigger to kill Stidham.
An autopsy revealed Stidham was stabbed 15 times.
Bigger and Schwartz were arrested 10 days later.
On May 2, after hearing from 77 witnesses and viewing 400 exhibits, a jury convicted Schwartz of conspiracy but couldn't reach a verdict on the first-degree-murder charge itself.
Prosecutors asked Warner on Tuesday to dismiss the murder charge without prejudice —meaning they would be able to refile it should the conspiracy charge be overturned on appeal.
Schwartz's attorney, Brick Storts, opposed such a dismissal, saying that Schwartz was entitled to go to trial again immediately.
Warner dismissed the charge without prejudice, but then she "stayed" her decision to give Storts time to take the issue up with the Arizona Court of Appeals. She agreed to allow Schwartz to stay in the Pima County jail until the Court of Appeals decides if it wants to review the case.
The judge also denied Storts' motion for a new trial.
Daphne Stidham attended Tuesday's sentencing hearing with two attorneys who are handling her civil case against Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall and two of her former prosecutors.
Stidham is suing LaWall, Lourdes Lopez and Paul Skitzki because she contends that Lopez and Skitzki knew about Schwartz's plot in advance and did nothing.
Lopez testified at trial that she didn't believe Schwartz would carry out his plan. Skitzki says Lopez told him of the plot after the fact.
According to the lawsuit, LaWall, as the pair's former supervisor, should be held accountable for their inaction.
Daphne Stidham's comments to Warner were brief and spoken so softly that they were barely audible.
"Brian was my whole life. He was everything I had — my soul mate, my future. I admired him more than anyone else in the world," she said. "He was the most devoted husband and father anyone could be. And he did all he could do to give us — me and his kids — a better life. I never understood what life was about or what my purpose was until I met him. My happiness was through him."
Now, she said she feels lost, scared and nervous, and her children are insecure.
Raising two children alone and making everyday decisions are a struggle, she said. "Alexander has no role model anymore, and I'm scared to death for them," she added.
After thanking Warner, the widow left without waiting to hear the sentence pronounced.
When the judge asked Schwartz if he wanted to say anything before she sentenced him, he answered, "No, thank you."
Bigger's trial is set to begin in September.
On StarNet Look back at coverage of the trial, including a photo gallery, reporter Kim Smith's blog from inside the courtroom, a timeline of events and a forum to discuss the case at azstarnet.com/ schwartz
"I don't think I can forgive this kind of evil ever, at least in this lifetime."
Daphne Stidham, widow of Dr. David Brian Stidham
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