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Texas vs. Charlene Hill October 28, 2009

Charlene Hill is accused of shooting her husband Danny Hill in the late hours of November 14, 2006. The prosecution alleges that her motive for murder was money, having over $1 million after the sale of their business in a joint account. Hill shot him and then called 911 in an effort to save him but he died 4 hours later.  Hill and her defense claim that she is a longtime victim of spousal abuse (over 30 years) and that she only acted in self defense. She did testify in her own defense and it was teary and very moving. She said that she did shoot him but it was only acting in fear that he was going to kill her as well.If convicted she can face up to life in prison.

Verdict: The jury came back on Tuesday Sept. 22, 2009 and they were hung at 11-1 for a conviction. The judge declared a mistrial shortly after.

 

I will keep this updated when they start the retrial.

 

 

25 Responses to “Texas vs. Charlene Hill”

  1. Francean Lott Says:

    I am so happy that there was not a verdict of gulity. People need to understand domestic violence/spousal abuse. I do. I hope that they do not decide to re-try Ms. Charlene Hill.

  2. gloria Says:

    Unfortunately I watched physical, verbal abuse for 20+ yrs…i saw the fear in my mother’s eyes, she tried hard to get away, she got a divorce, restraining orders…it didn’t help!!! He’d punch, kick, break bones, she had seizures due to head trauma…he quit abusing her when we got old enough to fight & kick back….DOMESTIC ABUSE IS NOT A MYTH OR JOKE…NO, SHE COULDN’T HIDE LONG ENOUGH. HE ALWAYS FOUND HER & KEPT HIS PROMISE!!! SHE WOULDN’T GET AWAY…8(

  3. I lived in an abusive home with my parents. My mother left different times, but my father searched until he found her. I do not question Charlene Hill’s inability to leave. Her husband was a brute and would have retaliated violently if she had left. Unfortunately, he was also able to influence his one son to side with him and ultimately turn his back on his mother.

  4. scales Says:

    30 years is a long time to wait and finally feel that your life is in danger.But sometimes it takes that long.A survivor of abuse,I know the feeling.I say ,let her go.she’s already done her time at the hands of her abuser!

  5. Karen Says:

    I just spent two hours looking for the verdict from this case that I was watching on court tv! Kind of a waste of time, but I finally found you! I couldn’t find it on any of the court shows own web site. Guess it wasn’t all that important to them! I put your site in my favorites so I can find a way to learn what ever happened! Thanks, I can go home now!

  6. andrew caird Says:

    should of been thrown out from the start

    • scales Says:

      Yes it should have.But until the laws are changed,abused women will continue to be sent to prison for finally fighting Back! I know,been there,spent 18 mo. for hitting back even with a 3 inch file of reports of abuse,Judge said”two wrongs don’t make a right young lady,you’re going to jail.(ex never spent more then 32 hrs for any assault on me!!!!)

  7. A friend of the Hills Says:

    Many of you may not know this family personally, but I do. For those of you who have suffered domestic abuse – I am very sorry for the torment you went through. Charlene Hill is a very manipulative woman and a BOLD faced liar. Danny Hill was no saint – but he was not going to hurt her – he couldn’t have – look at the science – the forensics doesn’t lie. Look at the public record of how many times the cops came to the Hill home – it was to for her for the abuse of her children – not the abuse of her by Danny Hill. Please know the facts – she will be re-tired and hopefully sit in Huntsville where she belongs.

    • andrew caird Says:

      like many women they should not go through wat she has been through because there dad died yes the son will stick by his dad only because he in line for a big pay out

  8. sunney444 Says:

    they haven’t started the re-trial yet. i will let you all know when it happens.

    thanks!

  9. scales Says:

    The laws are such that a man may get away with raping and abusing his wife for years,and if charges are pressed ,he does little if any time.yet a woman in fear of her life defends herself,after records clearly indicate years of abuse,and she is tried by a jury “of her peers”,no less,as a money-hungry murderer.#1) unless the jury was selected from abused women.they have no earthly idea what this woman endured,so therefore are not her peers! #2) If they would have divorced,half the money(she helped make) would have been her’s anyway!#3) At least someone on that jury was thinking!

    • sunney444 Says:

      hey! Thanks for the comments! I agree. How can you say ‘peers’ when they clearly aren’t her peers. But could you also say that for any trial really? For example, if I was on trial, would someone who is 20 yrs older than me and had 3 kids be considered my peer? (I don’t have any kids, yet). How does that work? What qualifies people as a peer? We wouldn’t put a dog on a jury so we are all humans, but is that it? :)

  10. scales Says:

    I concur, although I wasn’t privy to the jurors personal lives, I’m sure there wasn’t one abused soul in the lot! At least one of them had a heart instead of a thumping gizzard. An as far as “knowing the family” unless you lived with this family 24/7 you have no clue as to what went on behind closed doors!!! Most abused women hide their abuse, either out of shame,or fear of more! If you haven’t been there,you can never judge!

    • sunney444 Says:

      ^agreed. I’m just stimulating conversation when I say this, but is abuse a legitimate defense for murder? Is it considered self-defense? If she continually seeks help for this issue and nothing happens then I guess it sounds ok… What do you think?

      • andrew caird Says:

        this woman could not walk out because she thought she had the prefect man until the violence started. when it did it was too late. yes protect yourself with reasonable force, in this case she murdered her husband in self defense

  11. scales Says:

    Is it a legitimate case for murder when the abuser murders the abused? Or how about just maims,scars or blinds them for life. or the mentally scars abusers children carry for all their lives. The reasoning is, for most, she should have got out. Sometimes that is not an option! If you’ve never been in this situation,it’s hard to understand.But I’ve been there.It took years to get out,stay out,and heal.Been 22 years I’ve gone without a daily beating.And glad of it! Is killing someone who is beating you to death self-defense? Damn Skippy!

  12. how come you fired jack ford . i watched the show because of him. he was excellent. please tell us where he is working now.

  13. sunney444 Says:

    yep will do


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