GUILTY FL - Doug Benefield, 58, shot and killed by estranged wife, Manatee County, 27 Sept 2020

[turaj]

Also, once she shot him she ran over to the neighbors house instead of calling 911. Think about that! That ensured that he wasn’t rescued in time to survive his injuries. At first I thought it was an apartment building and she just ran next door. No. She ran a whole house over. Knocked on the door. The neighbor initially ignored it because she didn’t repeat right away. Then knocked again a few minutes later. Think of all the time she wasted while Doug bleeds out alone!

Did Doug not have a phone nearby? Think of what’s going through his mind in those moments. No matter what you think of the victim’s flaws, no one deserves to be shot and left to die alone. Ugh.

JMO

I think the reasonable thing is to pick up a phone. I do not think this was planned so my take on that is she was almost in shock....hysterical was the term that was used. She seemed to know this kind man so I get why in her panic she ran over there.

 

[nodamselindistress]

Just seems to me all the things she was accusing Doug of in the past year or two before she shot him were not proved.

He poisoned her and the baby. No poisons found in her system. Not proved.

He stalked her and placed a tracker on her car. No tracker found on her car after it was searched. Not proved.

He was looking in her window and a neighbor saw him and identified him by his voice on Ashley's phone recording. Not proved.

Complaints of sexual abuse and child abuse to their daughter. No evidence found. Not proved.

How anyone can believe anything she says about Doug is beyond me.

 

[turaj]

imo:
As of right now a hung jury looks real good.

A re-trial with different prosecutors who need to look at what other lawyers have said throughtout the trial on how the state prosecuted this case.

A terrible prosecution and I would be shocked beyond belief if she's found guilty.
I now highly doubt the state's closing will be any different .

they seemed to be just going thru the motions and seldom even had any cross of defense witnesses.

 

[Izzylizzy]

How long do you get for 2nd degree murder in Florida?


Second-degree murder in Florida is classified as a first-degree felony and is punishable according to Level 10 of Florida's Criminal Punishment Code. If convicted of second-degree murder, the offender will receive at least 16 3/4 years in prison without the chance for parole.

Second Degree Murder Florida | Parikh Law, P.A.​

 

[Izzylizzy]

Just seems to me all the things she was accusing Doug of in the past year or two before she shot him were not proved.

He poisoned her and the baby. No poisons found in her system. Not proved.

He stalked her and placed a tracker on her car. No tracker found on her car after it was searched. Not proved.

He was looking in her window and a neighbor saw him and identified him by his voice on Ashley's phone recording. Not proved.

Complaints of sexual abuse and child abuse to their daughter. No evidence found. Not proved.

How anyone can believe anything she says about Doug is beyond me.

This should be sent to the prosecutors as a reminder. /s

 

[Izzylizzy]

they seemed to be just going thru the motions and seldom even had any cross of defense witnesses.

And the crosses the state did were lame and uninformative giving basically nothing to the jury to enhance their case.

 

[Weki]

I think she will be found guilty. The state has not been very passionate about this case, seemingly, but the facts do not under any circumstances bear out an imminent threat to life/serious bodily injury. Her testimony alone is proof enough of her guilt. And state of mind of the defendant is the most important factor in a case like this. She had zero credibility on the stand. Crying and shaking does not buy you credibility just because you’re a waif of a woman! I’m confident 5 women on a jury of 6 will see right through that.

JMO

 

[nodamselindistress]

5 women out of 6 might see through her act but will the 1 man? I think women are harsher judges of other women, but men might fall for her "poor little me" act.

 

[Wishbone]

real photos of ab are prejudicial per the defense, lol. JMO

 

[Izzylizzy]

I think she will be found guilty. The state has not been very passionate about this case, seemingly, but the facts do not under any circumstances bear out an imminent threat to life/serious bodily injury. Her testimony alone is proof enough of her guilt. And state of mind of the defendant is the most important factor in a case like this. She had zero credibility on the stand. Crying and shaking does not buy you credibility just because you’re a waif of a woman! I’m confident 5 women on a jury of 6 will see right through that.

JMO

I love this image and have been posting her for a few years.

 

[Weki]

The witness that was walking her dog said she heard the shots and then right after she saw AB leave her house and head next door.

Cuckoo bird, Carlton?

 

[Izzylizzy]

5 women out of 6 might see through her act but will the 1 man? I think women are harsher judges of other women, but men might fall for her "poor little me" act.

Well on the brighter side I wouldn't want to be a guy with 5 women verbally against me in a deliberation room.

Then again a guy could be dumb enough white knighting her in thinking he can meet her after the trial and who knows? lol

A hung jury gives AB some more freedom and the possibility that the state won't retry her.

 

[Wishbone]

real photos of ab are prejudicial per the defense, lol. JMO

The judge admitted the photo in question....one for the team. Photo shows the same defect of her eye as the one they say DB battered. Also admission of the photo of Doug right before she murdered him, showing him as NOT a muscle bound beast.

 

[nodamselindistress]

This is partially why I think AB planned this whole thing. It is pretty darned rare for a defendant never to be heard from prior to trial. No 911 call, no LE interview, etc. And also why is is pretty obvious her Mom was in on it all since she was at the ready with the lawyer on the phone before they even took AB to headquarters.

 

[bobbymkii]

Bobbymkii's non-expert Assessment of AB's Acting skills:
Direct Examination: Mediocre. Obviously rehearsed. Mr Taylor saying "Ashley, I'm going to have to ask you a few difficult questions" was clearly a cue for her to start the waterworks, but the reservoir was dry. Grade: D

Cross Examination: Truly oscar-worthy. Incredible ability to exploit the state's surprise decision to make her re-create DB's actions, all on impulse. Made the prosecutor look like a horrible mean bully. The icing on the cake was when she returned to the stand and instead of answering O'Donnell's question about swelling on her face she buried her fact in her hands and wailed loudly. Lack of water from the eyes, not a factor. Grade: A Plus

MOO

 

[nodamselindistress]

Just in: Update from Kelly Krapf on CourtTV says there will be a rebuttal from the state tomorrow and Eva is going to be called.

 

[Izzylizzy]

This is partially why I think AB planned this whole thing. It is pretty darned rare for a defendant never to be heard from prior to trial. No 911 call, no LE interview, etc. And also why is is pretty obvious her Mom was in on it all since she was at the ready with the lawyer on the phone before they even took AB to headquarters.

Good catch because it's not like she spoke to her mom who spoke to the lawyer who told her to tell her daughter to STFU.
AB knew the problems of talking to LE that could come back and bite you if you're charged with a crime.
Ruby Franke also didn't talk but she was of the mind-set that the govt is evil.

 

[Wishbone]

The older photo of ab that was just admitted showing her previous eye defect will be helpful in rebutting the claim that DB caused it the day she killed him.

 

[nodamselindistress]

I never saw swelling in that pic to begin with.

 

[MTW2011]

anyone know about those photos at the end of today?

Did the State really get it wrong that the photo with EB was when she was 19 not 15?

Or the one where defense said it was actually taken in 2020 one month before, not 2018 like the State claimed?
I know how the Judge ruled but the state didn’t really reply to being incorrect about the dates, they just kinda looked at one another