Woman Convicted Of Killing Preacher Husband Faces Up To 6 Years In Prison

SELMER, Tenn. (AP) _ A woman convicted of killing her preacher husband with a shotgun blast to the back as he lay in bed faced up to six years in prison at her sentencing on Friday. <br/><br/>Mary Winkler,

Friday, June 8th 2007, 7:13 am

By: News On 6

SELMER, Tenn. (AP) _ A woman convicted of killing her preacher husband with a shotgun blast to the back as he lay in bed faced up to six years in prison at her sentencing on Friday.

Mary Winkler, 33, went on trial for first-degree murder in April, but a jury found her guilty of the lesser crime of manslaughter after she testified she was physically and emotionally abused by her husband, Matthew Winkler.

Her lawyers were expected to seek a sentence of probation, but prosecutors were expected to ask Judge Weber McCraw to give Winkler jail time.

Winkler would be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of her term and get credit for five months already spent in jail.

She testified during her trial that her husband hit and kicked her, forced her to look at pornography and demanded sex she considered unnatural. Jurors were shown a pair of tall, platform shoes and a black wig Winkler said she was pressured to wear during sex.

Church members found Matthew Winkler's body and reported his wife and children missing. They were located the following day in Orange Beach, Ala.

Winkler is fighting with her husband's parents for custody of the children, ages 9, 7 and 2.