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Danielle Redlick, an Orange County woman charged with killing her husband Michael Redlick in 2019, testified on June 14 that she stabbed her spouse in self-defense.
According to WFTV, Danielle Redlick told the court that their relationship had been abusive in nature, alleging that Michael Redlick would violently assault her during arguments. She claimed that on the day of the stabbing, he had been attacking her.
She said:
“He was suffocating me. I couldn’t breathe and he had me pinned down. I was scared- I was in fear for my life. I thought he had snapped, and I could die.”
Initially, when she had first spoken to authorities, Danielle had provided a contradictory account, saying that he had stabbed himself. Before this, when she had called 911, 11 hours after the stabbing, she had told the operator that she thought he might have had a heart attack.
Danielle Redlick claims that she was a victim of abuse
While things started out well for the couple, Danielle said that the violence began before they had children. She alleged that Michael would attack her regularly due to his alcoholism and work-related stress, which caused him to lash out.
"He raised his fists and he just crossed me in the face. And I felt like he had taken every frustration he had that week on me.”
Danielle's defense had claimed that on the night of the murder, Michael Redlick had responded violently to his wife after discovering that she had been texting another man. Danielle said that this began an argument that escalated, as Michael began strangling her, leading her to stab him in an effort to save herself.
Testimony from the medical examiner
According to Wesh, a medical examiner described the killing as a homicide.
The pathologist, Sara Zydowicz, countered Danielle's initial account that Michael Redlick had stabbed himself. Zydowicz also clarified that Michael Redlick did not die of a heart attack (as told by Danielle in her initial statement), but rather a fatal stab to the left shoulder which made contact with an artery and punctured his lung.
She said:
“So the path, it goes through the skin and soft tissue underneath. It went through the chest muscle, then it went through a large vein that takes the blood from the extremities to the heart. And it went in between the two ribs and the chest cavity.”
The trial continues. Also called to the stand was the daughter of the accused, Jadyn, as well as a child protection investigator.
A look at Michael and Danielle Redlick's relationship
Michael Redlick had previously been married to Danielle’s mother, Kathleen Aquino, though friends of the couple told People News that it was largely a marriage of convenience. Michael was able to financially support Aquino, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
Following Kathleen’s death, Michael and Danielle Redlick started dating, eventually going on to marry in 2002. Danielle claimed that due to Michael’s supposed alcoholism, violent altercations and domestic abuse had become a regular part of their lives.
