Tenn. man released in killing of wife's teen lover

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - December 5, 2008 A judge in Knoxville signed an order Friday releasing 33-year-old Eric McLean, who had served 71 days for reckless homicide in the 2007 slaying of 18-year-old student Sean Powell. Powell was the lover of teacher Erin McLean, who is now divorced from Eric McLean.

The judge had sentenced McLean to 90 days, which would have freed him Christmas Eve. But she says she forgot about him earning credits for working while at the jail.

Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz said 71 days is enough "shock incarceration" to make McLean understand that he did wrong.

McLean has said he pointed a rifle at Powell to get him to leave the McLean home, but that it went off accidentally.

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