After deliberating for about three hours, a jury found Anita Smithey guilty of second-degree murder Thursday in the shooting death of her estranged husband, Robert Cline III.
“We’re just very distraught at this moment but grandma’s always taught us to have faith in God and that God has a reason for everything," said Smithey's Cousin Monica Andry.
Seminole County jurors began deliberating around 2:30 p.m. and had a verdict by 5:30 p.m. People in the gallery cheered as the verdict was read. Smithey, meanwhile, broke into tears as an attorney put an arm around her. She would later be wheeled out of court by bailiffs.
“I’m so pleased for this family that they were able to see the justice system work the way that it should," said Assistant State Attorney Stacey Salmons. "They were able to see that the death of their loved one was something that was recognized as being not only a tragedy but second degree murder."
What started as a love affair in 2007 ended in violence in 2010. The couple married but wedding bliss would soon wear off and the couple separated.Despite living in separate homes they continued to meet on Monday's to have sex. It was during one of those visits in May of 2010 when Smithey claimed Cline became violent and raped her. She admittedly shot Cline, killing him.
Later at the Oviedo police department...Smithey claimed just before the shooting she and Cline were fighting over a knife that he was using during a date rape role play senario.
She told police he stabbed her during the scuffle. Only to change her story moments later.
"I freaked out and I picked it up and I stabbed myself," Smithey told investigators while being questioned in a videotaped interview after the shooting death of her estranged husband.
The jury spent Thursday morning listening to closing arguments from prosecutor Stacey Salmons and from defense attorney Rick Jancha, who got his last opportunity to deliver Smithey's version of the events.
Attorneys on both sides reviewed the evidence from the last seven days of testimony, from photos of Smithey to statements from former witnesses.
But probably the most important evidence in the case has come from Smithey, herself, in videotaped statements she made during to Oviedo police during an interrogation.
“They looked behind the initials facts and they worked very hard at determining exactly what happened, which is what this jury did as well," Attorney Salmons said after the verdict.
Both sides claim their case pivots on statements Smithey, herself, made. The prosecution said she was proven on video to be lying. The defense said she was heard in a 911 call pleading with emergency responders to hurry to help Robert Cline III as he was dying on her bedroom floor.
“We have faith in Anita and we still stand behind her. We all know what happened, what the jury heard and what happened is two different things and there’s just no winners in this at all," Andry said.
Wednesday it was revealed that if Smithey is found not guilty of second-degree murder, she would collect nearly $750,000 from a life insurance policy. Now that she's convicted, that money would go to Cline's children.