Barbara Sheehan of Queens was found not guilty of killing her husband, a former police sergeant. She had survived 24 years of physical and emotional abuse before shooting him 11 times. The verdict is monumental for battered woman defense and for domestic abuse activists in general when so often domestic abuse is ignored or normalized. Hopefully it's a sign of changing times and attitudes.
What I find particularly heartening about the verdict is that her husband was a former police sergeant and given how much of a pedestal our society puts cops on and how infrequently they are held accountable for any misconduct, I am absolutely shocked that she was found not guilty. Guy must have been a worse monster than usual. Ah, there's my cynicism creeping in again. But really, what's worse than a domestic abuser with society's unconditional approval and a gun? Man oh man...
My heart goes out to her and her children for the hell they must have endured for all those years. I hope they have peace now.
Exciting times when the good guys win one.