Arizona woman who claimed self-defense sentenced to 10 years for fatally shooting boyfriend
Mar 12, 2024, 9:20 AM
Shannon Marie Jackson of Prescott Valley, Arizona, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Dec. 27, 2021, shooting death of her boyfriend. (Photo via Yavapai County Attorney's Office)
(Photo via Yavapai County Attorney's Office)
PHOENIX – An Arizona woman who claimed self-defense after fatally shooting her boyfriend was sentenced to 10 years in prison for manslaughter last month, prosecutors announced Monday.
Shannon Marie Jackson, 45, of Prescott Valley said the Dec. 27, 2021, shooting occurred after a verbal dispute escalated following several years of domestic violence, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.
However, Jackson never reported past incidents of domestic violence, and detectives found little evidence of physical abuse on the day of the shooting, according to prosecutors.
Jackson was initially indicted for second-degree murder in January 2022. She pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in December 2023 and was sentenced on Feb. 12.
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“At a time when our treasured Second Amendment rights are under unprecedented attack, it is more important than ever that responsible firearms owners understand and follow Arizona’s self-defense laws,” Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane said in a press release Monday.
“I encourage any firearm owner who is unfamiliar with Arizona’s self-defense laws to learn the law before they encounter a situation where self-defense may become an issue. Generally speaking, the use of lethal force is never warranted by words alone.”
