Carol Stream man gets 35 years for fatally stabbing wife

A Carol Stream man was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing his wife.

Prosecutors say 38-year-old Clifford Bolden stabbed his wife, Hope Taylor, in the chest and face early Oct. 19, 2011, after he returned to their apartment and found her putting his belongings into bags.

Taylor, 42, was hospitalized with a collapsed lung and a cut to her face. She died from her injuries more than month later.

Bolden pleaded guilty but mentally ill to one count of first-degree murder. He was sentenced by Judge Dan Guerin.

"This morning, Clifford Bolden took responsibility for the murder of his wife," State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Hope Taylor never recovered from the injuries she sustained."

About 5:30 a.m. on the day of the attack, Bolden and Taylor got into an argument. Afterward, Bolden left the apartment only to return later that morning.

When the couple started arguing again, it turned violent. Authorities said it's believed that Bolden stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife.

Police have said Bolden ran to an undisclosed business in the area of Schmale and St. Charles roads and called 911. Initially, Bolden told authorities that he acted in self-defense.

Bolden must serve 100 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole, officials said.

Meanwhile, Berlin said violence is never the answer.

"If you find yourself in a situation that could potentially turn violent, walk away and allow yourself some time to cool off," Berlin said. "Perhaps if Mr. Bolden had walked away that morning and not returned until after he had calmed down, Hope Taylor would still be alive today."