Kaelyn Moore

On the third day of the trial, December 8th, Lindley took the stand in her own defense and testified for hours.

She admitted that she had spent years lying to everyone in her life about what happened that day.

She even offered a tearful apology to Sam Renick from the stand.

But she insisted that this time she was actually telling the truth.

She just wanted a divorce.

Michael made his own decision first.

to kill Ben that day.

After 12 hours of deliberations, the jury found Lindley guilty, but not of first-degree murder, of second.

In other words, they thought that she killed Ben, but they weren't convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder was premeditated.

The jury also returned a guilty verdict on the other charge, armed criminal action.

They recommended a 13-year sentence for second-degree murder and three years for the armed criminal action charge, a much lighter sentence than Michael got.

He would actually still be serving life in prison,

with the possibility of parole.

And Lindley was so thankful to the jury that she actually mouthed a thank you several times from her spot at the defense table.

Judge Kevin Crane visibly struggled to hold back his anger at the jury's recommendation of a light sentence, saying, quote,

You're awful lucky, ma'am.

You're going to get out in your 40s.

And my 40s weren't too bad.

I just hope you don't kill again.

Which I don't know if anyone else is sitting out there feeling deeply unsettled by all of that.