EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) — Sentencing has been delayed by more than a month for an Iraqi immigrant convicted of the beating death of his wife in what police initially believed was a hate crime.

A San Diego Superior Court judge rescheduled sentencing Thursday for Kassim Alhimidi (ahl-huh-MEE’-dee) until June 23.

Alhimidi was convicted last month of bludgeoning Shaima Alawadi to death at their home in 2012. He could get life in prison.

Prosecutors said he killed her because she planned to divorce him. The couple’s eldest daughter found her in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. She died two days later.

A note found nearby read: “This is my country, go back to yours, you terrorist.”

That set off a hate-crime probe, but investigators determined it was a photocopy.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.