US Marshall Receives 6 1/2 Years For Wife's Murder
Karen’s mother, Sandy Etter, provided a prepared statement when asked to comment about the verdict. She believes Ludwig was found guilty of a lesser charge because of special treatment for his 30-year tenure in law enforcement, 17 of those with the U.S. Marshals Service. "All of the family and my friends and co-workers are just sick,” she stated. “It is unfair and we feel that he is getting away with murder because of who he is. I am very disappointed, I just can't even put it into words"...
Family memebers of the woman shot and killed by her U.S. deputy marshal husband last year said the sentence of 6.5 years in prison recommended by a jury last week does not fit the crime.
Members of Karen Ludwig’s family said this week they were shocked with the jury’s July 20 decision and believe the defense led the jury to believe that she was evil and mean-spirited. It's always the victim who is portrayed this way, especially a wife of someone on Law Enforment.
John Ludwig, 52, was originally charged with murder and using a firearm in the commission of murder. After five hours of deliberation, the jury found the former marshal guilty of voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm in the commission of a felony on July 18. The jury then took more than a day to return a sentence recommendation of 3.5 years out of a maximum 10 years for the manslaughter charge; the charge of using a firearm in the commission of a felony carries a mandatory three-year prison term. Ludwig will be sentenced formally on Nov. 2 and Circuit Court Judge James H. Chamblin can only reduce the sentence as recommended by the jury, not increase it. The jury also recommended Ludwig perform an undetermined amount of community service following his release from prison.
Ludwig never contested that he shot his wife five times on July 4, 2005, but during his five-day trial he testified that the shooting was in self-defense after his wife pointed a gun at him during a heated argument in their bedroom. Hard to believe a highly trained officer had to defend himself and shot his wife, 5 times, please spare me. He employed 30 years of law enforcement training in using deadly force to protect himself from what he said was a lethal threat from his wife.
His attorney, Alex Levay, called two expert witnesses who said Ludwig might have suffered amnesia, attributed to the large amounts of alcohol and painkillers he ingested after the shooting in a suicide attempt. Ludwig told the jury he did not contact the sheriff’s office about the shooting until two days later because he was in a daze from the drugs and alcohol.
His lawyer called more than 10 character witnesses to the stand who said Ludwig was a peaceful man who could be trusted. That's how they are, when are people going to wake up! Brandy Snider, 19, said her mother never abused her and that the defense mischaracterized her mother during the trial.
Snider said she believes Ludwig murdered her mother and she was angry when he testified he shot her in self-defense, considering that it took him more than a month to remember the most important part of his defense. She said his testimony was unbelievable.
Plowman said he doesn’t agree with the jury’s verdict but that he “respects the fact they made a decision and I accept it.”
“If the community is OK with it, then I am OK with it,” Plowman said.
Karen’s only sibling, Kathy Farrow, said the jury’s verdict was a huge disappointment and that the punishment does not fit the crime. She made a reference to the Ten Commandments: “Thou Shall Not Kill.”
“I thought it was an injustice toward Karen,” she said about the jury’s verdict. “Once again, she is a victim in all of this.”
Farrow said Ludwig gloated about his marshal service and that his testimony was rehearsed. Although there was a period in their adult life where the two sisters weren’t speaking, Farrow said her sister didn’t deserve to be killed just because she may have verbally attacked Ludwig.
“He’s now a murderer. That’s who he is now. The last thing he did was he murdered someone. He murdered my sister.”
If you are the wife , girlfriend of a police officer and you feel that you have no place to turn because he's the law, please consider contacting the National Domestic Violence hotline the number is free and confidential. They will be able to direct you to the proper authorities and services so you can safely leave. 1-800-799-SAFE.
