A judge made a ruling in the case of Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina. Per The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, her estranged husband, Doug Benefield, was shot and killed by Ashley. Ashley claimed self-defense, stating Doug attacked her after an argument. However, detectives investigated and found that there had been no signs corroborating Ashley's claim.
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After nearly seven hours of jury deliberations, a guilty verdict of manslaughter was rendered. Further, the manslaughter charge was a lesser one than the original second-degree murder charge. Ashley and Doug were in a contentious child custody battle over their daughter. The prosecution for the case "argued Ashley Benefield killed her husband to prevent him from learning she had no intention of reconciling their marriage and that her goal was to be a single mother with sole custody of their daughter."
The jury had to decide if Ashley killed Doug in cold blood. Or, if she acted in self-defense as a woman desperate to escape domestic abuse. "The sound was as good as the sight," said Tommie Benefield, Doug Benefield's cousin and witness in the trial as Ashley was led out of the courtroom following the verdict.
A Verdict For Ashley Benefield Is Finally Reached
"Tommie Benefield said the family is happy Ashley Benefield was taken into custody as she'd only spent 17 days in jail following her arrest before she bonded out. He added they were thankful the lesser charge was included for the jury to consider," the Herald-Tribune reports.
"Tommie Benefield acknowledged that the case was also hard on Ashley Benefield and that it'll be difficult for her to be apart from her young daughter, who will remain with Ashley Benefield's mother."
Additionally, Doug's older daughter, Eva, would comment on the outcome. "I apologize to all the women who have gone through domestic violence situations," Eva stated. "I think what Ashley was doing was unfair to them. They deserve justice. I'm very happy that my dad got the justice he deserves."
Dave, Doug's younger brother, was the last to comment. "I am so thankful for justice, the entire process was simply amazing. But Doug, his heart would be, 'I want to see my family healed, I would want to see my family whole.'"
