Dr. Laura Mendelson, a clinical psychologist, shares her account of the night that the incident under the ‘Black Swan’ murder trial occurred. The court found Ashley Fieldstone guilty in the case that gained national attention. Ashley, once a ballet dancer, acknowledged her role in her estranged husband, Douglas’ demise. However, the narratives given in the courtroom around the incident were varied and conflicting. She is set to be sentenced on the 22nd of October and could potentially face three decades in jail.
Her defense team exhausted all possibilities for a retrial, alleging incorrect behavior and errors on the part of the prosecution and jurors. Dr. Mendelson was the appointed psychotherapist who carried out evaluations of both Ashley and Douglas, amid their eruptive child custody disagreements. Ashley gave her explicit permission, enabling Mendelson to discuss the case openly.
The fateful day of the shooting, saw Douglas visiting the residence in order to assist with packing for the move. As he was engaged in the task to load the moving vehicle, the atmosphere between the couple began to turn tense. Ashley made an effort to exit the situation, but Douglas impeded her path.
Doug blocked her way, seizing her arm, pulling her back from the entrance, effectively restraining her from leaving the residence. Dr. Mendelson accounts that it was at this moment, Douglas struck Ashley, instigating a rush for cover to her bedroom. The psychologist reported that Doug followed Ashley back to her room, where she then reached for the firearm, pointed it in his direction.
In the height of the tense situation, while attempting to safeguard herself, Ashley purportedly discharged the weapon. Her defense counsel asserted self-defense, which did not convince the jurors entirely, as reflected in Ashley’s manslaughter conviction. Dr. Mendelson, however, finds no other plausible scenario.
Bruce Peterson, a mental healthcare professional with expertise in domestic and familial traumas, bore witness. He asserted that the behaviors exhibited by Ashley adhered to patterns typical of victims of domestic abuse. Dr. Jason Liscomb, who had previously interacted with the couple in the professional realm, portrayed Douglas as an overly controlling, authoritative figure.
Moreover, forensics expert, Michael Summers, presented his findings on the bullet path from the crime scene. However, the prosecution presented a contrasting theory, accusing Ashley of plotting her spouse’s death to attain single parenthood. Their evidentiary support painted a different picture of the shooting event.
Ashley and Douglas crossed paths in 2016 at a charity event, at a time when she was just 24. Following their initial meeting, marriage ensued within a fortnight. The couple encountered marital problems when their funds began to dwindle and Ashley’s ballet troupe stumbled.
The commencement of a bitter divorce war saw allegations of marital unfaithfulness and abuse from both parties. There were several instances where Ashley reported claims of abuse perpetuated by Douglas. Throughout the proceedings, it was disclosed that the couple had already separated when their six-year-old daughter was born.
The prosecutors posed the idea that her actions were all a part of a deliberate plot by Ashley to secure exclusive guardianship of their child. They argued that when this intent didn’t come to fruition, she resorted to drastic alternatives.