Former Ballerina Ashley Benefield's Self-Defense or Custody Battle Motive in Husband's Shooting Death: Compelling Testimonies in Florida Trial

Lakewood Ranch, Florida, Florida United States of America
Ashley accused Doug of emotional abuse and poisoning, leading to a custody battle.
Ashley testified about multiple instances of physical abuse and violent rhetoric from Doug.
Doug was granted visitation rights in July 2018.
Former ballerina Ashley Benefield is on trial for the fatal shooting of her husband Doug Benefield in Florida, 2020.
On the day of the shooting, Doug came to help Ashley's mother pack for a move.
Prosecutors argue Ashley killed Doug due to custody battle. Defense claims self-defense after alleged assault by Doug.
Their marriage had deteriorated after the collapse of their ballet company.
Former Ballerina Ashley Benefield's Self-Defense or Custody Battle Motive in Husband's Shooting Death: Compelling Testimonies in Florida Trial

The Black Swan Murder Trial, ongoing in Florida, has been making headlines as former ballerina Ashley Benefield stands trial for the fatal shooting of her husband, Doug Benefield. The incident occurred at Ashley's mother's house in Lakewood Ranch on September 27, 2020. Two different narratives have emerged regarding the motive behind the shooting: self-defense or a contentious custody battle.

According to court records and testimony from both sides, Ashley and Doug met at a Republican party fundraiser in 2016 and married just 13 days later. They founded the American National Ballet with the goal of hiring dancers of all body types. However, their marriage began to deteriorate after the ballet collapsed.

In August 2017, Ashley moved from South Carolina to Florida and filed complaints against Doug for emotional abuse and poisoning. In July 2018, a judge granted Doug visitation rights with his daughter. On the day of the shooting, Doug came to help Ashley's mother pack for a move to Maryland.

Prosecutors argue that Ashley killed her husband due to their ongoing custody battle and her desire to be a single mother. Defense attorneys claim that Doug was a violent abuser and Ashley acted in self-defense when he attacked her on the day of his death.

Ashley took the stand in her defense during the trial, testifying that Doug had physically assaulted her on multiple occasions. She claimed that he hit her on September 27, 2020, and she shot him in self-defense. Text messages from Doug containing violent rhetoric were presented as evidence in court.

One particularly alarming incident occurred when Doug shot a hole in the ceiling and threw the gun at Ashley during an argument. Ashley also testified that Doug had a history of animal abuse, further highlighting his alleged violent tendencies.

The jury is currently deliberating on the case, with both sides presenting compelling arguments based on their interpretation of the facts.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • The exact reason for the deterioration of their marriage and collapse of the ballet company is not mentioned.
  • The extent and validity of Ashley's accusations against Doug are not fully explored in the article.

Sources

81%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Did Ballerina Kill Husband Because She 'Wanted to Be a Single Mother' — or Was It Self-Defense?

People Magazine Monday, 29 July 2024 21:58
  • Unique Points
    • Ashley Benefield is on trial for second-degree murder in Florida.
    • Ashley and Doug Benefield met at a Republican party fundraiser in 2016 and married 13 days later.
    • The American National Ballet was founded by Ashley and Doug with the goal of hiring dancers of all body types.
    • Things began to deteriorate in their marriage after the ballet collapsed.
    • Ashley moved from South Carolina to Florida in August 2017 and filed complaints against Doug for emotional abuse and poisoning.
    • Doug was granted visitation rights with his daughter in July 2018.
    • On September 27, 2020, Doug came to Ashley’s mother’s house to help her pack for a move to Maryland and was fatally shot by Ashley who claimed self-defense.
    • Prosecutors argue that the custody battle was the cause of the killing. Defense argues that Doug was a violent abuser.
    • Ashley took the stand in her defense and testified that Doug hit her on the day of his death and she acted in self-defense.
  • Accuracy
    • Ashley and Doug met at a Republican party fundraiser in 2016 and married 13 days later.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article contains editorializing and selective reporting. The author presents the prosecutor's perspective as fact without providing any counterargument from the defense or evidence to support their claims. They also only report details that support the prosecution's position, such as Ashley's desire to be a single mother and her accusations against Doug, while omitting information that could cast doubt on their claims, like Ashley's allegations of abuse by Doug. The author also uses sensational language to describe the case and implies that Ashley is guilty based on the prosecution's statements.
    • But things soon began to deteriorate. Ashley Benefield trial begins in Florida. In August 2017, Ashley moved from South Carolina to Florida to live with her mother.
    • The trial of Ashley Benefield began earlier this week in Florida. Prosecutors claim that Ashley, who has been charged with second-degree murder, killed the Navy veteran because she didn’t want him to be in her or their daughter’s life anymore.
    • Here’s what to know about the case. Whirlwind Romance Ashley was a 24-year-old ballet dancer and Doug was a 54-year-old Navy veteran and technology consultant when the two met at a Republican party fundraiser at the Palm Beach mansion of former presidential candidate Ben Carson in 2016. Sparks flew instantly and they married just 13 days later.
    • According to prosecutors, Ashley wanted to rid herself of Doug, and to that end, she accused him of emotional abuse and claimed he’d tried to poison her with heavy metals.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting the prosecutor's statements about Ashley's intentions and her desire to be a single mother. However, no evidence is provided that supports these claims beyond the prosecutor's assertions. Additionally, there are instances of inflammatory rhetoric used in describing Doug Benefield as a 'manipulative, cunning, and abusive man who insisted on control.' This language goes beyond reporting the facts and instead attempts to sway the reader's opinion of Doug.
    • >This case is about a woman who very early on in her pregnancy decided she wanted to be a single mother.<
    • >Despite promoting himself as a religious, honorable, and decent human being, Benefield was a manipulative, cunning, and abusive man who insisted on control.<
  • Bias (80%)
    The author does not demonstrate any bias in the article. However, the title of the article implies a potential bias towards portraying Ashley Benefield as a 'ballerina killer' who wanted to be a single mother at any cost. This is not supported by the evidence presented in the article and is therefore an example of sensationalized language that could potentially mislead readers. The author does not make this assertion themselves, but it still warrants mention as a potential bias.
    • The trial of Ashley Benefield began earlier this week in Florida. The 32-year-old former ballerina is accused of killing her estranged husband, 58-year-old Doug Benefield, in her mother's Lakewood Ranch home in September 2020.
      • This case is about a woman who very early on in her pregnancy decided she wanted to be a single mother.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      78%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      The Black Swan's Testimony: 5 Most Shocking Moments From Ashley Benefield

      Newsweek LLC Jenna Sundel Monday, 29 July 2024 17:41
      • Unique Points
        • Ashley Benefield is on trial for murdering her husband Doug Benefield in 2020.
        • Ashley and Doug met in 2016 and married shortly after, but their relationship was marked by verbal and physical abuse from Doug.
        • Doug had a history of violence, verbal abuse, and animal abuse according to Ashley’s testimony.
        • Texts from Doug containing violent rhetoric were presented as evidence in court.
        • An incident where Doug shot a hole in the ceiling and threw the gun at Ashley was also described.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (30%)
        The author uses emotional manipulation by describing the testimony as 'shocking' and 'emotional' multiple times. She also uses sensationalism by referring to the trial as the 'Black Swan Murder Trial', which is not an accurate or necessary description. The author selectively reports details that support her position, such as Ashley Benefield's allegations of abuse, while ignoring other details that do not fit her narrative, such as Doug Benefield's initial loving and attentive behavior towards Ashley.
        • The trial has commonly been called the ‘Black Swan Murder Trial’ in reference to the 2010 psychological thriller film Black Swan.
        • Prosecutors alleged Ashley Benefield wanted her husband out of her and her daughter’s life and would ‘stop at nothing’ to make that happen. The defense argued that the shooting was an act of self-defense.
        • Ashley Benefield became emotional multiple times during her testimony, visibly shaking and sobbing at some points.
        • Ashley Benefield testified in what has been called the ‘Black Swan Murder Trial’ on Friday.
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by referring to the trial as the 'Black Swan Murder Trial' multiple times without providing any context or explanation for why it is being called that. This is an appeal to emotion and can be considered an informal fallacy. The author also quotes Ashley Benefield making accusations against Doug Benefield, but does not provide any evidence or context to support these claims, which could potentially be false statements. This could lead to a score lower than 85 if more instances of this are found.
        • ][author] The trial has commonly been called the 'Black Swan Murder Trial' in reference to the 2010 psychological thriller film Black Swan.[//], [
      • Bias (80%)
        The author, Jenna Sundel, demonstrates a clear bias towards portraying the defendant, Ashley Benefield, in a negative light. The title of the article itself refers to the trial as the 'Black Swan Murder Trial', which is an unnecessary and biased characterization that implies something shocking or unexpected will be discussed. Additionally, throughout the article, Sundel repeatedly quotes prosecutors making accusations against Ashley Benefield without providing any context or counterargument from the defense. For example, she states 'prosecutors alleged Ashley Benefield wanted her husband out of her and her daughter’s life and would “stop at nothing” to make that happen.' This statement is not balanced by any information from the defense or evidence that supports this claim. Furthermore, Sundel uses language like 'shocking testimony', 'emotional multiple times', and 'escalated' to describe Ashley Benefield's actions, which implies a negative judgment on her part. Lastly, Sundel includes quotes from texts that Doug Benefield sent containing violent rhetoric without any context or explanation as to why these texts were relevant to the case.
        • He said, ‘I can see what you’re doing. You’re trying to get me to leave.’ He said, ‘I don’t have to leave, I could stay and spend the night if I want to because I’m your husband.’
          • He said I needed to start acting like a wife,
            • prosecutors alleged Ashley Benefield wanted her husband out of her and her daughter’s life and would “stop at nothing” to make that happen.
              • She struggled through the testimony, resulting in the court taking a brief recess for her to compose herself.
                • Sometimes it was as simple as him just yelling and screaming at me or cussing at me, calling me names
                  • Texts from Doug Benefield containing violent rhetoric were also shown in court
                    • The two were separated at the time. A fight started when she realized Doug Benefield had not loaded the truck the way she had told him to.
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication

                    98%

                    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                    Black Swan Murder Trial: Day 4 Recap

                    Court TV Court TV Monday, 29 July 2024 22:00
                    • Unique Points
                      • Ashley Benefield testified about when she shot and killed her husband, Doug Benefield
                    • Accuracy
                      • Ashley took the stand in her defense and testified that Doug hit her on the day of his death and she acted in self-defense.
                    • Deception (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Fallacies (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Bias (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication