COLUMBIA, Tenn. -It was a case that shook Maury County: a first grade teacher accused of killing her husband, a recent Iraq Veteran.
His family claims it was murder; she says it was self-defense and late this week a jury agreed.
Shawn Armstrong's attorney spoke about the trial and takes us back through the vivid 911 call that helped lead to the jury's decision.
Dispatcher: 911, what is your emergency?
Armstrong: I need an ambulance at Enterprise Road now.
Dispatcher: Ma'am? What's going on?
Armstrong: I just shot my husband because he attacked me.
Dispatcher: You shot your husband?
Armstrong: Yeah.
Since the moment Armstrong called 911 on February 20th 2010, she stuck to her story. That she shot and killed her husband Maury Armstrong in self-defense. In the call she told operators, "He pulled in behind me and wouldn't let me leave and I showed him I had a gun and he came and attacked me and pushed me to the ground."
A year and half after the incident, a jury agreed. They found the first grade Riverside Elementary teacher not guilty of second-degree murder.
"From the beginning of this whole episode this is the worst thing she's ever been through because not only did she kill the father of her children, she had her children taken away from her basically," said Armstrong's attorney, John Colley. Colley believed that his client was left with no choice after Armstrong was cornered while shooting at a target range on her parent's property. An eyewitness and the 911 call reveal she'd been attacked.
"He attacked me. He blocked me in and would not let me leave and he followed me out here," she said on the 911 call.
The divorcing couple had a history of prior abuse, but this time she felt her own life was on the line.
"This is a matter of seconds, and she felt that she was not going to make it or be seriously injured so she fired the pistol three times and one of the bullets hit him," said Colley. Armstrong shot her husband once in the chest and immediately called for help in a panic.
Dispatcher: Where at in the chest area ma'am?
Armstrong: Ok like right on his heart area like two inches from his nipple.
Dispatcher: You shot him right in the heart area? Right around his nipple?
Armstrong: Yes.
The case captured and divided the community in Maury County. Both Shawn and Maury came from prominent families. Now she must attempt to get her life back: her reputation, her teaching job, and custody of her three kids that she hasn't seen in a more than year.
"If not getting her job back is better for kids, then she won't try to get her job back. If moving to another city is best, she'll do that. But her kids are the only thing that matters to her right now," said Colley.
We did reach out to the family of Maury Armstrong for comment. They did not respond to our calls.
