Woman enters insanity plea in shooting death of spouse

6/15/2002

NORWALK, Ohio - A Clarksfield Township woman accused of killing her husband in May during an argument over their pending divorce has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to an aggravated murder charge.

Prosecutors say Linda C. Connell, 50, shot her husband, Alexander, 52, in their home on the morning of May 18.

Days after the shooting, Norwalk Law Director Steve Palmer said the investigation showed that Mr. Connell was shot multiple times with a 22-caliber handgun.

Ms. Connell's defense team filed a motion in Huron County Common Pleas Court requesting a court-ordered psychological evaluation that addresses the possibility of battered wife syndrome.