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SALT LAKE CITY — A Magna woman has admitted that she killed her husband in the family's martial arts dojo, pleading guilty to manslaughter, a second-degree felony. But she said she believed her actions were justified.
Cynthia Vincent, 42, shot her husband, Michael Vincent, shortly after midnight on July 6, 2021 inside a karate dojo where the couple lived. Almost six months after his death she was charged with murder, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors amended the charge to a reduced count of manslaughter on Sept. 27.
In a statement in support of her guilty plea, Vincent said she caused her husband's death "under a reasonable belief that the circumstances provided a legal justification or excuse for my conduct," although she said she now realizes her actions were not justified or excusable.
Under Utah law, the circumstances are an affirmative defense for murder. If prosecutors cannot prove Vincent's belief that she was justified is unreasonable, being found guilty of murder could lead to a conviction for manslaughter.
Vincent explained that earlier on the day her husband was killed, he had placed his hands on her throat in an attempt to strangle her, leading her to grab her gun, according to the statement.
"He was at the front door when I confronted him and told him to leave. As he turned back toward me, I perceived that he was going to lunge at me but I don't know for certain if that was the case. That was my perception. But I was frightened," she said.
Third District Judge Paul Parker ruled in July that there was enough evidence to order Vincent to stand trial, a low legal bar. Although he said Vincent's argument of self-defense was still an issue, as evidence from the crime scene did not support that Michael Vincent was lunging toward his wife as she had claimed.
In the document, Cynthia Vincent said that her attorney will argue at the sentencing hearing for probation instead of a prison time based on all of the circumstances. That hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5.
