I agree with you! BUT, it is just a guess. There is a little bit of manipulation inherent in the relationship. Perhaps she was sucked in by him? Or more importantly, she needed to cajole him repeatedly to get him to do the right thing. I really do think they were at an impasse.
Maybe he had a breaking point, once his family was en route and he actually opened up about what he had done (sort of doubtful). My guess is the lines all started to blur and she was not thinking about the optics anymore (accepting gifts from inmates), because she was on the other side of compromise. Better her than me.
I am assuming she may have lost a bit of boundaries, but it was to get the job done and pull him through the eye of the needle. I really think dealing with him wore her down. I am sensing some sort of older female fixation and looking for direction. What are the odds he would get nothing but a female defense team? Bizarre. I may not be feeling compassion for him right now, but it is possible he fought these urges for years, divulged that, agreed to cave, and she needed to finish the job. JMOO