BRADENTON, Fla. (WFTS) — Ashley Benefield, the Manatee County woman accused of killing her estranged husband Doug, was found guilty of manslaughter after hours of deliberating on Tuesday.
Jurors began deliberating around 3:45 p.m. following closing arguments from both sides.
The jury reached the verdict unanimously.
In front of a packed courtroom, the two opposing theories were laid out in a final plea.
"Her goal was she wanted sole custody of that child at all costs," said Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O'Donnell.
"The state has failed to prove anything here beyond a reasonable doubt. We proved self-defense beyond all doubt, but the burden isn't ours. It's theirs," said Ashley Benefield's defense attorney Neil Taylor.
Over seven days, both sides laid out their theories.
"There are two words that are very, very necessary. Reasonable and justified. That's what you have to evaluate," said O'Donnell.
"For the last several years, I've walked hand in hand with Ashley. I'm now going to surrender her fate to you," Taylor told the jury.
State prosecutors say Ashley Benefield killed her husband, Doug, because she wanted to raise their child alone.
"The bottom line is you have to decide at the moment that she pulled the trigger in that bedroom, was it reasonable and was it right?" they argued.
Benefield's attorneys say she killed Doug in an act of self-defense, telling the jury during closings that Doug was abusive. They say he even physically abused Ashley the day she pulled the trigger.
"His hostility starts increasing. Two body checks where he bumps her shoulder. It's a bump to intimidate her. Then we have the cardboard box incident where he slams that into her. Once again, she tries to de-escalate it," defense attorneys proposed.
"They need to be aware that they’re putting families at risk”
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