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United States: Florida Woman Faces Jail after Defending Herself from Abusive Husband

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Marissa Alexander was convicted on three counts of aggravated assault for firing a gun into the air to end an attack by her abusive husband. She now faces 20 years in prison. In court documents Alexander explained that her husband has been abusive for many years and on the day she was arrested he attempted to strangle her. She fired a gun at the ceiling to scare him off as she tried to escape. No one was hurt by the gunshot.

Alexander’s lawyer based her defense on Florida’s "stand your ground" law rather than the battered spouse defense which requires the expert testimony of a psychiatrist.

Compiled from: FL Woman Facing Jail Time After Defending Herself Against Domestic Violence, Feminist Majority Foundation (20 April 2012).

For More Information:

See the Domestic Violence section of this website and the page on Women's Use of Violence in Intimate Relationships.

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