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Brandon Martinez September 27,2011 Law-Class 11B Barbara Sheehan Case Barbara Sheehan life change February 18, 2008.As the wife of Raymond, a 24 year old marriage, mother of two kids and a working school secretary was faced with murder charges. After an argument her husband faced pointing at her with a Glock and at a surprising moment she took the gun away from him and shot him before he shot her. At an act of desperation, trying to safe her own life with a .38 revolver she shot him six times. Having thought his life has ended she claims he spoke to her which made her get his 9mm semi automatic Glock and shot him another 5 times. Barbara fired 11 bullets at Raymond, her husband, which is why then she was accused of murder. Barbara Sheehan suffered horrible abuse at the hands of her cop husband for nearly 20 years. She claims that she suffered years of constant threats and abuse from Raymond. Barbara explains how she was constantly abuse by Raymond through chocking her, hitting her and kicking her. This is said to not only have happened once but many times during her marriage. In court her son, Raymond Junior testify saying that he remembers “a home filled of tension, controlled by an always uptight father who was generous with nothing but insults.” This clearly proves how not only Barbara suffered from abuse but her children as well. Raymond Junior testimony in court does not only prove Barbara testimony on her abuse from Raymond but we can find her not guilty. Her son says how he witnessed his mom with bruises all over her arms, legs, and black eyes. Her son said, “he would tell her he would kill me and my sister and her father as well,” and She was always nervous, jumpy and jittery.”This clearly comes to show that Barbara was not living a normal life. She was living a life where she was scared to wake up every day because she didn’t know how it was going to end. His son says how they will always be scared to say anything because they didn’t know if it was going to set his father on fire, in other words to bruise or insult them. This brings me to state that I believe Barbara Sheehan is not guilty. Like many other women out there she suffered from abuse for 20 years of her life. These formed a trauma and cause her to take other precautions. Shooting him 11 times only proved her anger towards him. This was in self defense and we do not know what he was capable of doing apart from his children and Barbara. Yes, we can question why she shot him 6 times and then 5 other times but why can we question the abuse she suffered for so many years. Can we just come to question an act of desperation but not question the act of abuse or what was she suppose to do if he shot her' I feel so sorry for Barbara and her family. The trauma she has experienced all these years is continuing. No one can possibly understand how difficult the life of domestic violence is unless they have lived under this constant cloud of fear and domination. Her children and she suffered from an abuse many families can possibly be passing through right now. Barbara’s desperateness for a better living was what caused her to take those actions. We cannot criticize a woman that has suffered so much abuse from her husband. We should accuse her of something she is completely innocent of. Not only her but all women should take precautions and speak up if they have passed through this abuse because it is marked on them for life.