Marrissa Alexander, the Florida woman jailed for allegedly fired a warning shot to ward off her abusive husband in 2010, was released from a Jacksonville jail yesterday.
According to Reuters, the 34-year-old received a 20 year sentence in 2012. Although her conviction was ultimately overturned, the verdict of a separate trial could've remanded her to 60 years behind bars. In November, Alexander agreed to a plea deal which included the three years she had already spent incarcerated:
At her sentencing hearing, Alexander's attorney noted that she had agreed to the deal to avoid putting all involved, including her three children, through a high-profile trial.
Alexander pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault for firing a shot in the direction of her husband, Rico Gray, during a 2010 argument while two of his children were also in the house.
She also agreed to serve two years of house arrest, wearing an ankle monitor. She will be allowed to work, attend classes and take her children to school and medical appointments.
Reuters reports that the prosecution's request to tack an additional two years of probation onto Alexander's probation once her house arrest ends was rejected by Circuit Court Judge James Daniel.
Upon leaving the courtroom, an emotional Alexander expressed gratitude for the years of support in a statement. "My hope is for the people who were involved in this case to be able to move on with their lives," she said.
[via Reuters]
