(DCWatchdog.com) – In a bombshell development, the justice system has rejected the self-defense claims of an ex-ballerina from Florida who shot her estranged husband dead.
Circuit Judge Matt Whyte in Manatee County, Florida, handed former graceful dancer Ashley Benefield a 20-year sentence for the 2020 killing of her husband Doug Benefield.
The couple were co-founders of the American National Ballet and had a rocky relationship that ended in tragedy.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Ashley’s claims of abuse were made up, painting a picture of a thought-out act rather than self-defense.
The case took a dramatic turn when Ashley was initially charged with second-degree murder.
However, after nearly seven hours of deliberation, the jury convicted her of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
This decision spared her from a potential life sentence, as the maximum penalty for manslaughter with a firearm in Florida is 30 years.
Judge Whyte swiftly dismissed the defense team’s attempts to secure a new trial based on alleged juror misconduct.
Whyte found that claims of a juror’s undisclosed history with domestic violence and improper cellphone use during deliberations had no merit.
Ashley Benefield’s legal troubles did not end with the manslaughter conviction. In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, she received 10 years of probation.
The victim’s family said they were satisfied with the sentence despite disagreeing with the judge’s assessment of Ashley’s remorse.
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