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Arizona Fil-Am charged with poisoning husband avoids jail

A Fil-Am in Arizona charged with trying to kill her husband by poisoning his coffee dodges jail time and is sentenced to probation.

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<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9ZDFTEkSaU?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNews&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>A Filipino-American woman in Tucson, Arizona who was charged with poisoning her husband’s coffee has managed to avoid jail time.Melody Johnson, 41, had agreed to a plea deal on April 8 to two counts of adding a harmful substance to food and drink, which were captured on home surveillance video. She was recently sentenced to three years in probation.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/9/arizona-fil-am-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-murder-of-husband-2330">Arizona Fil-Am pleads guilty to attempted murder of husband </a></div>Johnson’s husband Roby told the judge before the sentencing that he hopes Melody’s time in detention taught her some valuable lessons. “I harbor doubts that it alone will address the underlying issues,” said Roby. “Hence, I respectfully petition that Melody be mandated to undergo mental health treatment and educational programs in concert with probation.”Johnson’s attorney Antea Gatalica told the court that the FilAm has long struggled with her mental health, and had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression.But the lawyer added that her client has taken responsibility for her actions. “She has apologized to the victim,” said Gatalica. “She makes no excuse for her conduct and that was in her letter to the court. She has also apologized to her friends and her family because they have also been greatly affected by this given the nature of the attention around this case.”Gatalica also spoke about Johnson’s upbringing and her family back in the Philippines. She said Johnson is the eldest of eight children, and their father worked in law enforcement and was a disciplinarian.“Throughout her interview with probation, she remarked that harsh punishments were normal when she was growing up, and that much of what she experienced likely would have crossed the line here in the U.S.,” Gatalica said. The lawyer added: “Still, Mrs. Johnson maintains that she suffered no abuse at the hands of her family growing up.”Johnson was facing two years of prison time for each but Judge Javier Chon-Lopez considered the fact that it was her first offense, and that she had taken responsibility for her actions. Aside from the three-year probation, Johnson was also ordered to undergo mental health treatment. The Fil-Am, who is in the process of divorcing her husband, had already spent nearly a year in jail while waiting for the conclusion of the case.

A Fil-Am in Arizona charged with trying to kill her husband by poisoning his coffee dodges jail time and is sentenced to probation.

Arizona Fil-Am charged with poisoning husband avoids jail

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Arizona Fil-Am charged with poisoning husband avoids jail

ABS-CBN News,

Lenn Almadin Thornhill | TFC News

Published May 15, 2024 04:29 PM PHT

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United States

Arizona

Crime

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