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

[nodamselindistress]

Looks like I missed some fireworks! Dayam, just when the state produced a decent witness with relevant info!

Def Atty is quite wound up. Wrap it up please!

 

[Wishbone]

Judge ruled against defense.

 

[Wishbone]

Now the defense wants a mistrial, haha

 

[Trinitee]

When Doug and Ashley Benefield Started a Ballet Company, It Wasn’t Supposed to End in Death

The previously mentioned Vanity Fair article about Doug and Ashley Benefield has quite a bit of information about both parties and is definitely worth the read.

 

[arielilane]

Judge denied the motion to dismiss.

 

[Wishbone]

A report was to be issued regarding AB and the state believes she killed DB before that could happen is what I am being lead to believe. So the state seems to be using this as a motive for the murder.

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson

UPDATE in #AshleyBenefield: Over the lunch break a woman came to a deputy saying she was a reporter, she had info about the case and wanted to meet with the judge. The judge told the deputy that the woman would need to come to court and speak in open court if she had something to say. She said she would not appear in court. That's it.


12:36 PM · Jul 24, 2024

Why would someone approach a court of law and ask to speak with the judge? Said she is a reporter? This is intriguing and I want to know more. If you have pertinent info to help a case, why would you think the judge is going to stop everything to speak with you? It doesnt work that way.

Why not contact the state attorney or defense attorney depending on who the info pertains to? moo

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Just wondering….. is the defense attorney ‘badgering’ this witness on cross (the slain victim’s civil / defense attorney), or am I simply in error and confused? MOO

 

[arielilane]

Were there any police reports filed against Doug Benefield or Ashley Benefield? Any restraining orders? moo

 

[Derph]

This trial is a confusing slog.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Is the defense attorney for AB asking questions for which he doesn’t know the answer? Sure seems that is happening here IMO. MOO

 

[Wishbone]

Is the defense attorney for AB asking questions for which he doesn’t know the answer? Sure seems that is happening here IMO. MOO

I think he trying to trip her up with his questions and mixed up dates of letters and emails.

 

[nodamselindistress]

My impression is that Stephanie Murphy is making Mr. Taylor look kinda dumb. Maybe he just does not understand family law?

 

[Dotta]

This case is absolutely weird.

IMO
both the victim and the defendant were incompatible in every possible aspect.
The very age gap of 30 years is one of them.
Both seemed to suffer from some kinds of mental disturbances:
- obsessions
- anger issues
- paranoid thinking
- childish wishful thinking.

Absolute tragedy
which shouldn't have happened.

It is Only My Opinion.

RIP to the victim.
Condolences to family.
Especially kids

 

[nodamselindistress]

Go Judge! Set Mr Taylor straight. PLEASE.

 

[bobbymkii]

As if that lawyer just interruped the prosecutor with a Trump debate-style "wrong" interjection during that argument. The sheer nerve!

jmo

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Hmmmmm. Listening to the state’s attorney now, is it possible that defense has not properly provided discovery to the state? Maybe a discovery violation? Or am I misunderstanding that?

Defense sure seems to imply that something that the slain victim’s civil / divorce attorney was not accurate? SMH. MOO

 

[Wishbone]

Hmmmmm. Listening to the state’s attorney now, is it possible that defense has not properly provided discovery to the state? Maybe a discovery violation? Or am I misunderstanding that?

Defense sure seems to imply that something that the slain victim’s civil / divorce attorney was not accurate? SMH. MOO

If it is true that the hearing for the broder report was never scheduled for sept 30 then the motive the state has for the murder is in jeopardy.

 

[nodamselindistress]

What I got out of that is there was an in camera hearing between the Judge, court reporter and defense atty ONLY about certain matters the defense did not want entered from the custody hearings/trial. Judge so ordered and sealed the order. Prosecutors did not know about this as defense maintained it had to do with their case strategy.

So NOW the defense wants to discuss these matters and Judge has to unseal his prior order.

Talk about CRAZY!

 

[nodamselindistress]

Next witness is Detective Chris Gillum with Manatee County Sheriffs office. He is a domestic violence investigator.

AB wanted him to arrest Doug for violating the SC order requiring him to stay away from her. AB called him at least 2x a week and let him know she was not happy Doug was not arrested. Further, she wanted Doug arrested in a court hearing in front of the judge!