Disclaimer: The article incorporates mentions of homicide. Reader discretion is suggested.
In September 2020, police found the useless physique of Navy veteran Doug Benefield at his mother-in-law’s home in Florida. Studies indicated that Benefield’s spouse, Ashley Benefield, shot him at her mom’s home. After first responders arrived on the scene, Ashley informed them that she shot him in self-defense, additional claiming that her husband attacked him first. Subsequently, police apprehended Ashley for her husband’s slaying. The continuing Black Swan Homicide Trial will resolve if she is responsible or not.
Folks Journal acknowledged that Ashley Benefield killed her husband in self-defense. Nevertheless, police dismissed her claims and stated that they discovered no proof towards Doug Benefield being the one that attacked first. Furthermore, in an affidavit, they claimed that Doug wasn’t even going through Ashley when she shot him. Folks Journal famous, “Primarily based on entry wounds on Douglas it doesn’t seem that he was going through Ashley when she started capturing. It additionally doesn’t seem that Douglas had taken any sort of defensive or combative stance.”
Throughout the trial, the protection claimed that Ashley Benefield killed Doug due to “concern for her life,” reported New York Publish. In the meantime, the prosecution workforce argued that the accused killed the sufferer as a result of she needed to be a single mom.
Did Ashley Benefield kill her husband Doug Benefield in self-defense?
Within the opening statements, prosecutors informed the courtroom how the custody battle turned the explanation for the slaying. Ashley Benefield allegedly determined to be a single mom at an early stage of her being pregnant. Citing the assertion, New York Publish reported, “This case is a couple of lady who very early on in her being pregnant determined she needed to be a single mom. She would cease at nothing to acquire that purpose.”
Alternatively, the protection workforce labeled Doug Benefield as “manipulative” and “abusive.” Per WFLA, they stated, “Regardless of selling himself as a spiritual, honorable, and respectable human being, Benefield was a manipulative, crafty, and abusive man who insisted, completely insisted on management.” Moreover, the protection informed the jury about cases the place Ashley Benefield came upon about her husband’s inappropriate habits.
The accused additionally took the stand and opened up about what occurred that day. Based on ABC7 Information, Ashley informed the courtroom how Doug Benefield cornered her in her room. Furthermore, she claimed to have been scared for her life on the time: “I used to be scared to demise. I believed he was going to kill me. There was nowhere to go.” Throughout her testimony, Ashley acknowledged that she filed a number of abuse allegations all through her marriage. Nevertheless, the prosecution stated that she leveled such accusations simply to get sole custody of the kid.
If discovered responsible, she faces 25 years to life in jail. The trial will proceed on Monday, July 29.
