TexasCHLforum.com

A woman who pleaded guilty in the shooting death of her husband received deferred adjudication Friday after reaching a deal with prosecutors just before a jury was to deliver a guilty verdict.

The woman, Charlene Hill shot her husband Danny Hill claiming she was a battered wife. Her first trial resulted in a hung jury, with only one member voting to acquit. During her second trial she plead guilty just before the jury told the judge they had found her guilty unanimously.

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Charlene Hill feels very humbled by probation decision.

"In a lot of relationships it’s a slow progression that starts with, ‘your hair’s not right, your makeups not right, your cooking isn’t right,’ a belittling," Hill said.

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I have personal experience with this type of event. My ex-Brother-In-Law's Mom shot and killed her husband (BIL's Step-Father) while he lay sleeping in bed. And the county prosecutor refused to press charged on her.

This was many years ago when the spouse had to press charges for abuse. There was a LONG history of physical abuse and photo's or her with black eye's and busted lips. However, she was scared and didn't want to press charges fearing he would retaliate and kill her if she did.

The night he died, he came in drunk and severely beat her up, then grabbed a gun and held it at her head and told her he was going to kill her. He then passed out on the bed. She grabbed the gun and shot him before he could wake up and follow through with his threat. her story and account stayed solid and unchanged through all questioning. The prosecutor decided because of his past events, and others when he would get drunk and fight people, that this time he probably would have done it and she was defending herself.

I really have not been closely following this case so I am not questioning the legality or justification of the shooting, but it appears that the prosecution was trying to show that money was a motive.

Prosecutors and Danny Hill’s family argued whatever his actions, the shooting was really about money. Charlene Hill inherits what was a $2 million estate. "The truth is Charlene Hill would not divorce my son because that meant having to lose some of what we all know is more precious to her, money," said Barbara Graham, the victim’s mother.

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