After about five hours of deliberations, a jury convicted Joseph Phipps of second degree murder in a Joshua Tree courtroom Friday afternoon. Phipps, 42, was convicted of shooting his wife in the head during an argument in their bedroom in their home in the 61600 block of Alta Vista Drive of Joshua Tree in January 2013. Judge Rodney Cortez denied Phipps’ request to remain free on bail until his sentencing and Joseph Phipps was taken into custody and his $1 million bail revoked. Sentencing is set for September 25.
