Actor gets life with parole for stabbing

(12-16) 15:29 PST Vista, Calif. (AP) --

An actor who appeared in the film "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" has been sentenced to life in prison with possible parole for stabbing his ex-girlfriend more than 20 times.

Shelley Malil was sentenced Thursday by San Diego County Superior Court Judge Harry Eilas in suburban Vista.

The prosecutor says Malil could be freed on parole in nine years.

In September, a jury convicted Malil of attempted premeditated murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

The 45-year-old actor testified that he visited Kendra Beebe at her San Marcos home in August 2008 to apologize for taking personal items from her house. He stabbed her with a kitchen knife after finding her with another man.

Malil played Haziz, a co-worker of Steve Carell's character in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."