BRADENTON, Fla. – A Manatee County decide will quickly determine whether or not to grant bond for Ashley Benefield whereas she appeals her manslaughter conviction within the 2020 capturing loss of life of her estranged husband.
The previous skilled ballerina was sentenced in December to twenty years in jail within the so-called ‘Black Swan’ case, which made nationwide headlines.
Benefield appeared in court docket on Thursday morning. After listening to testimony and arguments from attorneys on each side, the decide stated he’ll quickly situation a written ruling.
Pictured: Ashley Benefield throughout her bond listening to on Jan. 23, 2025.
Dying of Doug Benefield
The backstory:
On Sept. 27, 2020, Manatee County deputies stated Ashley Benefield ran to a neighbor’s residence and stated she shot her husband in self-defense after he attacked her.
Doug Benefield was discovered on the ground together with a number of bullet casings. He had been shot twice.

Pictured: Doug and Ashley Benefield
The protection claimed that Ashley Benefield was defending herself from an abusive husband, whereas prosecutors argued she was doing the whole lot she might to maintain their daughter away from him.
The capturing additionally occurred because the pair was packing as much as transfer to Maryland and dwell individually.
‘Black Swan’ trial and conviction
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Prosecutors charged Ashley Benefield with second-degree homicide after her arrest in late 2020.
Benefield stood trial in July 2024, with supporters, associates and her personal daughter rallying in help of her.

Pictured: Supporters of Ashley Benefield forward of her July 2024 trial.
After days of emotional testimony, together with Benefield taking the stand in her personal protection, a jury took about seven hours to convict her of manslaughter.
Jail sentence
At Ashley Benefield’s sentencing listening to in early December, members of Doug’s household, together with his grownup daughter, spoke within the courtroom.
“Ashley, because the day you shot my father, I solely have one query to ask you. Why?” Doug’s daughter, Eva Benefield, stated.

Pictured: Eva Benefield in court docket for Ashley Benefield’s sentencing in December 2024.
Ashley’s therapist spoke, as properly, saying that she was below excessive duress on the time of the capturing.
“She was in full survival mode, totally believing that her life was at risk,” Ashley’s therapist stated.

Pictured: Ashley Benefield throughout her sentencing listening to in December 2024.
The decide finally sentenced her to twenty years in jail, adopted by 10 years probation.
The appeals
Ashley Benefield’s attorneys now declare errors made by the court docket shouldn’t solely end in a brand new trial, however that Ashley needs to be launched from jail in the course of the appeals course of.
A earlier try at an enchantment on the grounds of juror misconduct failed.
What’s subsequent:
Thursday’s listening to started at 8:30 a.m.
The Supply: This story was written utilizing info from Manatee County court docket information together with earlier FOX 13 reviews on the case.
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