THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994             TAG: 9411030398
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: GLOUCESTER, VA.                    LENGTH: Short :   39 lines

WIFE LIKELY TO SERVE 1 YEAR IN JAIL IN DEATH OF SPOUSE

A woman accused of murder in the shooting death of her allegedly abusive husband will likely serve less than a year in jail after pleading guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Gloucester County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert D. Hicks said that if the case against Marsha R. Bennett went to trial, there would be ample evidence that her husband, Larry Bennett, abused her.

``There isn't any question that he was a bully for a long time,'' Hicks told Circuit Judge William H. Oast on Tuesday. In addition, the prosecutor said, Larry Bennett had a long history of mental illness.

``His medical condition had taken a turn for the worse within a few weeks before the shooting,'' Hicks said.

The judge sentenced Marsha Bennett, 37, to 10 years with five years suspended. If she isn't paroled within a year, Hicks will ask the court to suspend the rest of her sentence.

According to police and Marsha Bennett, her husband awakened her early the morning of May 17 and beat and threatened her. Marsha Bennett grabbed a gun, and after her husband came toward her, fired one shot that wounded him in the leg. Larry Bennett called 911 and Marsha Bennett called a friend, Nancy K. Hugate. When Hugate arrived, she took the gun from Marsha Bennett, went to the front yard where Larry Bennett was waiting for the ambulance. He was shot six times.

Hugate has been charged with murder and is scheduled for trial in February.

KEYWORDS: MURDER SHOOTING SENTENCE by CNB