Wife pleads guilty in case of poisoned Ohio judge

6/18/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this undated photo provided by Lake County Sheriff's department shows Carla Hague. Hague, the wife of a northeastern Ohio judge, has pleaded guilty after being accused of trying to poison him with antifreeze. Hague was charged last year with using the chemical in September to try to poison her husband, Ashtabula County Common Pleas Juvenile-Probate Judge Charles Hague. Hague pleaded guilty Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Ashtabula County court to one count of felonious assault, reduced from original charges of attempted murder and contaminating a substance for human consumption. (AP Photo/Lake County Sheriff Department)
In this undated photo provided by Lake County Sheriff's department shows Carla Hague. Hague, the wife of a northeastern Ohio judge, has pleaded guilty after being accused of trying to poison him with antifreeze. Hague was charged last year with using the chemical in September to try to poison her husband, Ashtabula County Common Pleas Juvenile-Probate Judge Charles Hague. Hague pleaded guilty Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Ashtabula County court to one count of felonious assault, reduced from original charges of attempted murder and contaminating a substance for human consumption. (AP Photo/Lake County Sheriff Department)

ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) — A woman accused of trying to use antifreeze to poison her husband, a northeastern Ohio judge, pleaded guilty today to one count of felonious assault.

The woman, Carla Hague, was charged last year with using the chemical in September to try to poison her husband of 45 years, Ashtabula County Common Pleas Juvenile-Probate Judge Charles Hague.

Carla Hague, 71, pleaded guilty in Ashtabula County court to the assault charge after original charges of attempted murder and contaminating a substance for human consumption were reduced.

“In September, I made the terrible decision to put a chemical in my husband’s drink,” Hague said as she began to cry, according to a report by WJW-TV in Cleveland (http://bit.ly/T7Rdwt). “I deeply regret it and I beg for the forgiveness of my husband, children and grandchildren. This I ask from the bottom of my heart.”

Hague said she thought if she put the chemical in her husband’s drink, which court officials said was wine, he would stop drinking it, the station said.

She was sentenced to two years in prison, with release eligibility after six months. A message was left with her attorney seeking comment.

Charles Hague was hospitalized and has recovered.

He and several family members were in the courtroom today.

“I am 72 and I weathered a lot of storms and this is the biggest one, but I will weather it,” he said.

The judge has been on the bench since 1993.