Marissa Alexander Takes Plea Deal in Florida “Warning Shot” Case; Three Years in Jail, Most Already Served

The Florida Times-Union
reports on a not very happy, but not as bad as it could have
been, end to the prosecution of Marissa Alexander for firing a gun
(and injuring no one) when feeling threatened by her husband.

The details:

Two years after her case generated national attention, the
criminal case against Marissa Alexander concluded Monday afternoon
with a plea deal that will see her serve three years in prison.

Alexander gets credit for the 1,030 days she has already been
locked up. She must serve 65 more days and will return to jail
today. She will be released Jan. 27.

Alexander will stay in Duval County Jail. She will not go to a
state prison.

State waived the minimum mandatory 20-year prison sentence under
the deal….

Alexander also got two years of house arrest. She can leave the
house to go to church, doctors’ appointments and work…

Prosecutors said Alexander fired a shot in the direction of her
estranged husband, Rico Gray, that she called a “warning shot.”
Prosecutors had said Gray’s two children were next to him when the
shot was fired, but Alexander disputed that and said they weren’t
in the room.

She faced three charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, and
could have gotten 60 years in prison if convicted….

Alexander was originally convicted in 2012 and sentenced to 20
years in prison. The conviction was later overturned on appeal
because the judge gave faulty jury instructions.

Jacob Sullum has reported early and often on this case and its
implications for justice when it comes to using a weapon in a
non-lethal way for self-defense for Reason;
see all those clips.