Marylue Wigglesworth: NJ mom who shot dead Republican-activist husband rolls eyes at judge for denying bail again
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY: Marylue Wigglesworth, a 51-year-old New Jersey woman, who shot her Republican-activist husband on Christmas day, rolled her eyes and shook her head while looking visibly disappointed as the judge denied her bail for the second time in two months. Marylue was arrested after she fatally shot her 57-year-old husband, David B Wigglesworth, in the bed inside their Hamilton Township, New Jersey home on Sunday, December 25, 2022.
Marylue contacted 911 at around 10.19 pm that say when she said that she and the father of their adult son had gotten into a disagreement and she shot him as she feared for her life. Her attorneys Melissa Rosenblum and Jonathan Diego also claimed that the mother acted in self-defense and she has been “overcharged” for David’s death. But, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Patricia M Wild doubled down on her decision and denied Marylue's latest bid for bail during the virtual hearing on Tuesday, February 14.
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Marylue Wigglesworth: Cops say NJ couple was fighting before wife shot dead GOP-activist husband
Why Judge denied Marylue Wigglesworth's second bail plea?
Wild acknowledged the existence of evidence of self-defense, such as "bruises" and a letter outlining a history of "physical aggression," but ruled that it wasn't enough to grant bail. Marylue had alternative options, according to Wild, who argued that "a statement of self-defense sounds hollow in this scenario." "The state asserts that the victim was naked in bed watching television at the time that he was shot," she said, according to Daily Mail. Wild added, "Defendant had time to cool off and to choose a different path of behavior rather than leaving the room, retrieving her gun, returning to the bedroom and shooting her husband."
Marylue's defense attorney asserted that the mother was in an abusive relationship despite the couple's social media posts depicting them having a good time together and going on boat rides and having barbecues. They provided character references written by David's brother, who claimed that he was "fully aware of his brother's inner battles and struggles, and his short fuse and temper." An affidavit submitted by their son was also presented in the court, which stated that "he loves his dad, and this is hard," but he also talks about the fact that his father was violent and abusive.
Did Marylue Wigglesworth act in self-defense?
In court, Rosenblum had contended that the detectives had not looked into her allegations of abuse and had not yet given the defense access to crucial material. "What the state did not do and did not present you, your honor is that when she did talk to the police, she admitted that she shot him," Rosenblum said of her client. The attorney added, "She stated at least six times to the officers that there was a fight and an altercation. They never took pictures of her that night to see what her injuries or bruising were, or at least I have not received them, Your Honor." Marylue is currently being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility without bail until her murder trial.