Crossbow Attacker Gets Life in Prison : Sentence: Judge tacks on seven years to man convicted of trying to murder his former lover by firing an arrow into his head while he slept.

Jesse Jeff Solis, convicted in October of attempted first-degree murder for shooting his former lover in the head with a crossbow, was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

Disregarding Solis’ claim that any time in prison would be a death sentence because he is infected with the AIDS virus, Superior Court Judge William H. Kennedy added seven years to the sentence. The extra time came from convictions on charges of causing great bodily injury, using a deadly weapon and stealing the victim’s car.

Court officials said it would be at least 10 years before Solis is eligible for parole.

Solis, a 24-year-old restaurant manager, shot an arrow into the head of Arthur Ekvall, 30, on June 8.

Ekvall survived the attack.

During a short statement he read in court, Solis asked Ekvall to understand that he made a mistake.

“I stand before this court trying to express my sincere sorrow for the pain and suffering I have caused Mr. Ekvall and his family.”

Solis testified during the trial that the crossbow fired accidentally after Ekvall attempted to sexually assault him. Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Hammes argued that the attack was the culmination of months of harassment against Ekvall.

“The jury, by its unanimous verdict, said, ‘You’re lying,’ ” Hammes said.

Ekvall testified that he felt as if his “brain had exploded” when his sleep was shattered on the last night he planned to spend with Solis.

He managed to wrestle the weapon away from Solis.

The pair had been involved in an on-again, off-again relationship for more than a year. Ekvall said Solis harassed him repeatedly and vandalized his pickup.

Hammes said Solis attacked Ekvall because he was unable to accept the end of the relationship. On Friday, he likened the case to the movie “Fatal Attraction.”

During Friday’s sentencing hearing, Solis calmly sat next to his attorney.

Kennedy began the proceedings by revealing that Solis had written to U.S. District Court judges complaining that he was convicted by a jury that did not like him or his lifestyle.

“He heaps quantities of self-pity on himself,” the judge said.

Calling Solis’ charges “rubbish,” Hammes said the letter was “a last-ditch attempt by an individual who has failed to take responsibility for his lifestyle.”

The prosecutor denied an allegation in the letter that he had forged Solis’ signature on a document used as evidence during his trial.

Ekvall, who has moved to Connecticut to live with his family, did not attend the sentencing hearing.