Former Ballet Dancer Faces Murder Charges: Ashley Benefield on Trial

Ashley Benefield on Trial for Murder Charges

Charleston’s former ballet dancer Ashley Benefield is on trial on charges of murder. Benefield, who co-founded a dance company in Charleston, is accused of shooting her husband, Doug Benefield. The trial began on July 23 in Manatee County, Florida, where Ashley had relocated to be closer to her mother during her pregnancy.

During the opening statement, prosecutor Suzanne O’Donnell portrayed Benefield as a manipulative woman determined to become a single mother, asserting that “everything she did from that point on was to obtain that goal, and she would stop at nothing to obtain that goal.”

From the defense’s side, attorney Neil Taylor portrayed Benefield as a victim of domestic abuse. He confirmed that Benefield fired the fatal shot, arguing that “Douglas Benefield was a very disturbed man,” obsessed with her and controlling.

Background

Before the trial, Benefield enjoyed a successful career as a ballet dancer and was the co-founder of the Charleston-based American National Ballet. This ballet company started with an aspirational vision but quickly spiralled into disarray due to inadequate funding. The relationship between Benefield and her husband, who was also involved in the ballet company, took a dramatic turn, prompting allegations and legal challenges.

The Couple’s History

Ashley and Doug had a whirlwind relationship, meeting at a political event and getting married 13 days later in 2016. Ashley, a professional ballet dancer, and Doug, a serial entrepreneur, jointly started the American National Ballet the following year.

Their dream was to create a diverse ballet company embracing varied styles and body types. However, Ashley left for Florida due to a complicated pregnancy even as the ballet company began facing funding trouble and internal disputes, leading to its eventual shutdown.

A few months later, Ashley accused the management team of abandoning the original vision of the company. Doug Benefield, having no ballet-related experience, left the company soon after Ashley, leading to legal battles with former employees.

The Incident

Throughout their relationship, Ashley filed multiple complaints and attempted to get a restraining order against Doug. These attempts intensified after the birth of their child. As O’Donnell stated, when Ashley realized there were no other options, she shot and killed Doug, claiming self-defense. She used her own gun while Doug was unarmed, and no injuries were found on Ashley from the encounter, fueling the prosecution’s case.

From a different perspective, defense attorney Taylor painted a picture of Doug as an obsessive, manipulative, and abusive husband. He argued that Ashley had acted out of fear and desperation against a man who refused to let her go.

The defense argues that their altercations reached a peak when Doug struck Ashley in the face, the first physical assault she admitted enduring during their relationship. In response, Ashley retreated to the room where her gun was located. Doug continued following her, leading Ashley to fire the gun four times.

The question now remains whether Benefield’s actions were premeditated murder or a desperate act of self-defense. The trial is anticipated to continue through early August.