An Alabama mother whose case drew national attention has plead guilty to murdering a man accused of raping her.
Brittany Smith plead guilty on October 9 to killing Todd Smith, “an acquaintance,” in her Stevenson home in January 2018, according to AL.com. The 32-year-old mother of four had previously claimed she acted out of self defense after he raped and strangled her, the outlet continued.
Smith was sentenced to 20 years, with18 months to be served in the Jackson County Jail, followed by18 months of house arrest and then probation, AL.com reported.
Smith had been awaiting trial for her murder case slated for next month, the outlet continued.
“In any case, you’ve got to weigh what you know and can control with what you can’t,” Defense Attorney Ron Smith told AL.com. “We have no control over a jury or a judge that would sentence her.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Smith Claims She Acted in Defense of Herself & Her Brother
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During a Stand Your Ground hearing earlier this year, Brittany Smith claimed that she acted out of defense for herself and her brother, Chris McCallie, AL.com disclosed.
Brittany Smith had purchased a puppy from Todd Smith on January 14, 2018, the Jackson County Sentinel added.
She and her brother then picked up Todd Smith the following day after he asked for a ride from Tennessee, the newspaper said. McCallie dropped the two off at his sister’s house, where Brittany Smith said Todd Smith raped her.
“She testified that when her brother came over to confront Todd about the rape, the men fought,” Al.com said. “She told a judge that she fatally shot Todd while he held her brother in a headlock and threatened to kill them all.”
Smith initially requested immunity from prosecution under Alabama’s self-defense law, but was denied after a judge ruled the killing was not legally justified, AL.com said.
Smith’s lawyers unsuccessfully attempted to in convince the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals and the state’s Supreme Court to overturn the judge’s Stand Your Ground ruling, as well as a push to remove the judge from the case, the outlet continued.
Smith’s Bail was Revoked After She was Arrested on an Unrelated Arson Charge This Year
Jackson County Sheriff\’s OfficeBrittany Smith was arrested in September of this year on a second degree felony arson charge.
Smith’s bail on her murder charge was revoked after she was arrested on an unrelated arson charge this year, the Jackson County Sentinel reported.
On September 18, the mother was arrested on a felony charge of arson in the second degree, according to the outlet and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
“Smith allegedly set fire to two locations inside a mobile home at 64 Bolivar Street in Stevenson on Sept. 17,” the Sentinel said. “There was minor damage to the inside of the residence, according to reports.”
The woman had been out of jail since April 2018 on a $100,000 bond, the newspaper continued.
Should she be convicted on her arson charge, Smith’s sentence will run in concurrence with her murder case sentence, Al.com added.
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