JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A
woman accused of firing a gun at her estranged husband and his two sons
in what she said was self-defense took a plea deal in a case that first
got attention because her attorneys used Florida's "stand your ground"
law in its defense, arguing that she feared for her life before
discharging the weapon.
Marissa
Alexander is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a
deadly weapon for the 2010 shooting. Under the deal with prosecutors,
she would receive credit for the 1,030 days she has already served.
Alexander's chief attorney, Bruce Zimet, said it was his client who
agreed to the deal after it was offered.
"I think from our client's standpoint, she wanted to get this behind her and move on with her life and her family," Zimet said.
Had
the 34-year-old Alexander, of Jacksonville, been convicted of all
counts at her second trial in the case — set to begin Dec. 1 — she would
have had to serve 60 years because of Florida's minimum-mandatory
sentencing rules when a firearm is involved.
During
her first trial, the jury deliberated just 12 minutes before delivering
a guilty verdict. Under Florida law, anyone who fires a gun during the
commission of a felony is subject to a minimum of 20 years in prison,
which was her original sentence. After serving 21 months, Alexander's
conviction was overturned by an appeals court judge, who said the
previous ruling had incorrectly placed the burden on Alexander to prove
that she was abused by Gray.
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