FL v. Ashley Benefield: Black Swan murder trial

BRADENTON, Fla. (Court TV) – A former ballerina has been sentenced to 20 years in state prison for killing her husband, which she said was in self-defense.

In July, the jury deliberated more than six hours earlier Find Ashley Benefield, 33, guilty of manslaughter, a lesser felony, in her husband’s death. She was initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of her husband, Douglas Benefield, 58, who was shot in Ashley’s bedroom in September 2020.

Ashley Benefield appears at her sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. (Court TV)

Although Ashley’s lawyers had asked for her sentence to be downgraded, citing alleged abuse in the couple’s relationship before Douglas’ death, Judge Stephen Whyte ultimately rejected the request. Judge Whyte sentenced Ashley to 20 years in Florida state prison, followed by 10 years probation. She faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 11 1/2 years and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years.

Ashley and Douglas married in South Carolina just 13 days after meeting in 2016. After learning she was pregnant, Ashley moved to Florida and began fighting for sole custody of their child and accusing Douglas of abuse . After several hearings, a judge concluded that Ashley’s claims had no shred of credibility and granted Douglas visitation rights in the months before his death.

Douglas was killed while helping Ashley move her belongings to Maryland, where they planned to settle. During the move, Ashley said she shot her husband because she feared for her life after he attacked her. Prosecutors said Ashley had no intention of reconciling with Douglas and was moving to Maryland after exhausting all legal options in Florida to keep Douglas from seeing her daughter.

Judge Whyte refused to dismiss the charges following a two-day “Stand Your Ground” hearing in July 2023. In his ruling, Judge Whyte wrote that the evidence “clearly and convincingly demonstrates that the defendant is not entitled to court-ordered immunity from prosecution because she was not justified in using deadly force against the victim on September 27, 2020.”

Despite the verdict, Ashley’s defense argued that the defendant suffered from “abused spouse syndrome.”

DAILY TEST UPDATES

DAY 6 – 7/30/24

• Ashley Benefield is found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of her husband, Doug Benefield.
• Assistant District Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell delivers closing arguments for the prosecution in the Black Swan murder trial.
• Ashley Benefield’s defense attorney, Neil Taylor, makes the defense’s closing arguments.
• Rebecca Freel provides the state’s final counterargument.
• WATCH: Black Swan murder trial: Day 6 recap

DAY 5 – 07/29/24

DAY 4 – 07/26/24

• Ashley Benefield represents her defense.
• Amy Carlton, who lived near Ashley at the time of the shooting, appeared briefly to say she heard loud noises reminiscent of gunshots while walking with her husband and that she heard a “hysterical” Ashley Benefield screaming and heading to the house of the neighbor John Sant running
• Faith Z. Brown, a Bradenton-based family law attorney who represented Ashley Benefield in various family court cases involving Ashley, Doug Benefield and the custody of their young daughters, took the stand
• WATCH: Black Swan murder trial: Day 4 recap

DAY 3 – 07/25/24

• Eva Benefield, daughter of Douglas Benefield, was called to the stand to determine whether she violated the confiscation rules.
• The jury heard testimony from the coroner and investigators. The state is at rest.
• WATCH: Black Swan murder trial: Day 3 recap

DAY 2 – 07/24/24

• Ashley Benefield’s mother, Alicia Byers, takes the stand.
• Judge Matt Whyte reprimanded defense lawyer Neil Taylor for “inappropriate and unprofessional” behavior outside the presence of the jury.
• Detective Chris Gillum, a domestic violence investigator, also takes the stand and comments on Ashley Benefield’s comments.

DAY 1 – 07/23/24

• The jury hears opening statements
• Neighbor John Sant, who called 911 the night Ashley shot Douglas, takes the stand. The jury hears his emergency call.
• Douglas’ daughter Eva Benefield takes the stand