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

[Weki]

So her mother and all the mental health professionals seem to be on her side. Or at least sympathetic. She’s pretty manipulative. The whole move to Maryland was to shop for a new jurisdiction/judge who would give her what she wanted: full custody. She was getting frustrated that LE and the courts didn’t bow to her will. She has some nerve cursing at a detective.

She has to testify, I think. We’ll see. JMO

 

[arielilane]

Vinnie Politan has a segment on "Standing With Ashley" and he begins the video speaking about all the supporters that Karen Reid had in Massachusetts.
Scroll down for video and apologies if this link has already been posted.

Ashley Benefield News Updates | Court TV

A jury found ex-ballerina Ashley Benefield guilty of manslaughter in the death of her husband, Doug, who she had claimed she shot in self-defense.

www.courttv.com

Thank you. I'm interested in the defendant's claims of abuse and what would trigger her to kill him, allegedly. Well she has claimed in self-defense.

 

[arielilane]

I like Judge Whyte and his no nonsense approach - dont come in my courtroom acting a fool. Y'all this judge is the best FL judge Ive had the privilege to watch in sometime... I know I said that earlier.

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[Dotta]

Doug was very goodlooking in his early fifties. Just take a look at his eyes.! I dont think the age difference would have hit at that moment, and I dont think it was ever brought up as point of contention. Pls correct if I am wrong.

I meant eloping to get married after only 13 days of knowing each other.

I could understand it if they were teens.

But not a guy in his 50ies for G's sake

A man with a 15 year od daughter living with him who still mourned her Mum.

Being so much older should mean he should have been so much wiser than that.

Red flag for me!

JMO

 

[Dotta]

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"He went on to claim that Doug was manipulative and
'viewed Ashley Benefield as his property.'

'Despite promoting himself as a religious, honorable and decent human being,
Benefield was a manipulative, cunning and abusive man
who insisted,
absolutely insisted on control,'
Taylor added.

He also claimed that after Ashley and Doug were separated,
he illegally tracked her,
often following without her consent
and even driving from out of state to keep tabs on her.

At least once,
Doug allegedly stood in a neighbor's backyard in the middle of the night to get a glimpse of her."

Many red flags!

PS
I agree with the defendant's view about calling her Black Swan (allusion to her ballet career/Swan Lake)
I even wanted to write about it.
Most versions of Swan Lake contrast the purity of the white swans with the evil of the black-clad magician von Rothbart and his daughter Odile, the Black Swan.

 

[Weki]

I think he was obsessed with her. But I don’t think he was violent with her. He’s clearly got issues managing his emotions though. Given the way they started, for her to just drop him like a hot potato had to be disorienting and devastating for him. I’m having a hard time liking him for the way he conducted himself so selfishly when he had a grieving 15yo to consider. JMO

 

[nodamselindistress]

I think he was obsessed with her. But I don’t think he was violent with her. He’s clearly got issues managing his emotions though. Given the way they started, for her to just drop him like a hot potato had to be disorienting and devastating for him. I’m having a hard time liking him for the way he conducted himself so selfishly when he had a grieving 15yo to consider. JMO

Agree with all of this. His own daughter described him as "fixated" on AB.

It makes no sense after everything she did to him and all her lies about him for him to keep wanting to see her to repair their relationship. Definitely a few screws missing there.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Agree with all of this. His own daughter described him as "fixated" on AB.

It makes no sense after everything she did to him and all her lies about him for him to keep wanting to see her to repair their relationship. Definitely a few screws missing there.

DB's lawyer Stephanie Murphy on the stand yesterday.

"Murphy said Benefield started filing complaints against her husband claiming domestic violence and that he was poisoning her. An injunction against him was not granted. He was able to meet his daughter as part of a court-granted parenting plan when she was 6 months old.


During their first meeting, Murphy said Ashley decided to go with Doug for the visitation, which came as a surprise to Murphy.

“We had just been in knockdown, drag-out litigation for months with just horrendous allegations that were unfounded and yet she said, ‘I wanna go with you’ and he said, ‘Okay,'” Murphy said. “I pulled Doug aside and I cautioned him about going with her. I am his attorney, so I advised him. I said, ‘This is not a good idea, she is trying to set you up for something, don’t do this’ and he said, ‘I understand. I am going to go ahead and do it anyway,'” the attorney continued."

https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/manatee-county/ashley-benefield-trial-testimony-continues-for-lakewood-ranch-mother-accused-in-husbands-death/

 

[Wishbone]

I meant eloping to get married after only 13 days of knowing each other.

I could understand it if they were teens.

But not a guy in his 50ies for G's sake

A man with a 15 year od daughter living with him who still mourned her Mum.

Being so much older should mean he should have been so much wiser than that.

Red flag for me!

JMO

From what I read they weren't even together that entire 13 days as he traveled out of the country for several days. They stayed in touch by text, phone, email. I wonder how badly he grieved for his wife that died and that set him adrift and skewed his thinking, if that even enters into the rushed marriage. Just a thought....

 

[Izzylizzy]

I'm confused about this statement pertaining to their daughter.
Did a 3rd party take the daughter to meet her father at a location and AB decided to also join DB?


'During their first meeting, Murphy said Ashley decided to go with Doug for the visitation, which came as a surprise to Murphy.'

https://www.wfla.com/news/local-new...ewood-ranch-mother-accused-in-husbands-death/

 

[nodamselindistress]

Def Atty yammering on again this morning.

 

[nodamselindistress]

I'm confused about this statement pertaining to their daughter.
Did a 3rd party take the daughter to meet her father at a location and AB decided to also join DB?


'During their first meeting, Murphy said Ashley decided to go with Doug for the visitation, which came as a surprise to Murphy.'

https://www.wfla.com/news/local-new...ewood-ranch-mother-accused-in-husbands-death/

My understanding is AB brought the daughter for parenting time with her father.

 

[arielilane]

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[nodamselindistress]

Eva Benefield on the stand now. Something about she spoke to a reporter yesterday afternoon.

 

[Derph]

What a mess. Spit it out man!!

 

[nodamselindistress]

Originally Taylor was questioning Eva about her conversation with the reporter, then he went on a fishing expedition about what she posted on social media. Judge is trying to clarify and get moving.

 

[arielilane]

Reposting @cathyrusson July 23 X posts for anyone who may have missed this information:


-- Doug and Ashley married THIRTEEN days after they met. Doug's first wife and mother of his daughter, Eva, had died 9 months prior from heart problems.

-- Ashley became pregnant within the first year. She was very sick during the pregnancy and moved to Florida so her mother could take care of her. Doug and Ashley never lived together again after that. During that time Ashley accused Doug of poisoning her with "heavy metals". Doug was never told that his daughter was born. Ashley filed for an injunction in court to keep Doug away from her and their newborn. In that case the judge found no evidence that Ashley or their baby had been poisoned.


-- Defense described Doug as 30 years older than Ashley and was obsessed with her. Defense says during an argument Doug shot a hole in the ceiling. Another time he punched the dog and knocked him out during an argument with Ashley.

-- Prosecution: Ashley killed Doug over custody of their daughter.
-- Defense: Ashley killed Doug in self-defense.


-- JURY BREAKDOWN in #AshleyBenefield: 5 women, 1 man. Alternates- 2 women, 1 man.

 

[nodamselindistress]

Judge is not ruling now on whether or not Eva Benefield can be a rebuttal witness. He admonished her to obey the rules and not discuss the case. She can continue to watch testimony in the courtroom.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Live
Eva back on stand after giving interview.
I'll look for the trial livestreamed on Youtube

Court TV Live Stream - Your Front Row Seat to Justice

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[nodamselindistress]

Judge now calling jurors into the courtroom individually to question them. A news reporter saw a juror at lunch yesterday who was within earshot of several people discussing the case.

Today is starting out crazy!