Karen Kilgariff

In the courtroom, a jury of two men and 10 women eventually hand down their verdict. They agree that Francine suffered from temporary insanity and she is acquitted for the murder of her husband. How did they get that jury? Those lawyers.

In the courtroom, a jury of two men and 10 women eventually hand down their verdict. They agree that Francine suffered from temporary insanity and she is acquitted for the murder of her husband. How did they get that jury? Those lawyers.

But I also wonder if those lawyers were good, but the people, I mean, wherever this was tried, it'd be very... I mean, I want to read this book. Yeah. But... That the people in that community not only knew of him and knew this reality, but so many people have lived through this in some way. Totally. If you're not the spouse, then you're the kid watching that happen.

But I also wonder if those lawyers were good, but the people, I mean, wherever this was tried, it'd be very... I mean, I want to read this book. Yeah. But... That the people in that community not only knew of him and knew this reality, but so many people have lived through this in some way. Totally. If you're not the spouse, then you're the kid watching that happen.

Plenty of people being like, yeah, enough of this and enough of women going to jail because this is the only option they have.

Plenty of people being like, yeah, enough of this and enough of women going to jail because this is the only option they have.

So then In 1980, writer Faith McNulty publishes the nonfiction book, The Burning Bed, all about Francine's life and about this case. And that, of course, draws more attention to the issue. Francine gets an $11,000 advance for this book, which is worth around $42,000 in today's money. And she uses it as a down payment for a house. Oh, wow. So she can live with her kids and have a place to be safe.

So then In 1980, writer Faith McNulty publishes the nonfiction book, The Burning Bed, all about Francine's life and about this case. And that, of course, draws more attention to the issue. Francine gets an $11,000 advance for this book, which is worth around $42,000 in today's money. And she uses it as a down payment for a house. Oh, wow. So she can live with her kids and have a place to be safe.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

But her life doesn't really change materially except for the attention and the interest in the story. She still has to make ends meet. So she actually ends up getting some secretarial work and then she will later operate a forklift in a factory for a couple of years before she gets laid off. When this happens, Francine goes through a dark time and she says, quote, I went a little crazy.

But her life doesn't really change materially except for the attention and the interest in the story. She still has to make ends meet. So she actually ends up getting some secretarial work and then she will later operate a forklift in a factory for a couple of years before she gets laid off. When this happens, Francine goes through a dark time and she says, quote, I went a little crazy.

I was partying almost every night trying to escape from something. I drank a lot and I was taking speed. It was like I was trying to self-destruct. Yeah. But it's also, you didn't have a childhood. You basically went from like sophomore year of high school into a nightmare, nightmare marriage, family situation. The trauma that you're not dealing with. Yeah, you know she wasn't in therapy.

I was partying almost every night trying to escape from something. I drank a lot and I was taking speed. It was like I was trying to self-destruct. Yeah. But it's also, you didn't have a childhood. You basically went from like sophomore year of high school into a nightmare, nightmare marriage, family situation. The trauma that you're not dealing with. Yeah, you know she wasn't in therapy.

She wasn't talking to anybody about it. It was like, oh, now... Because it's the abuse, then it's the murder, then it's the infamy. There's so much to deal with that, of course, you just were like, I need to blot it out. This is when Francine meets a man named Robert, who'd recently been released from prison after serving 10 years for armed robbery.

She wasn't talking to anybody about it. It was like, oh, now... Because it's the abuse, then it's the murder, then it's the infamy. There's so much to deal with that, of course, you just were like, I need to blot it out. This is when Francine meets a man named Robert, who'd recently been released from prison after serving 10 years for armed robbery.

The nature of this relationship isn't exactly clear, though a Deep Dive People magazine article from the 80s suggests it wasn't a wonderful relationship. They move in together two weeks after meeting. They get married a month after that at Robert's insistence. And that whirlwind pace can also be a red flag in some relationships.

The nature of this relationship isn't exactly clear, though a Deep Dive People magazine article from the 80s suggests it wasn't a wonderful relationship. They move in together two weeks after meeting. They get married a month after that at Robert's insistence. And that whirlwind pace can also be a red flag in some relationships.

Francine's marriage to Robert strains her relationship with her children. Based on reporting, it seems like they don't, at the very best, they don't like him. And troublingly, one of her daughters will accuse him of sexual abuse, which he denies.

Francine's marriage to Robert strains her relationship with her children. Based on reporting, it seems like they don't, at the very best, they don't like him. And troublingly, one of her daughters will accuse him of sexual abuse, which he denies.