DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WESH) – With a straight face, Ellen Gilland received her sentence Friday.
An hourslong hearing ended with Gilland, who was out on bond and in handcuffs, beginning to serve her jail sentence of nearly one year.
“We’re very thankful, again, to Judge Weston, and showing compassion to Miss Gilland and taking into consideration all the mitigation that we provided,” Gilland’s attorney, Matthew Ferry, said.
While Gilland’s attorney was hoping she’d be sentenced to probation, he was happy with the outcome, considering the 78-year-old woman faced up to 10 years behind bars.
Gilland admitted to killing her terminally ill husband and said it’s what he wanted.
“I held the gun behind his ear. I pulled it away and asked him if he was sure. He raised his hand and placed it on my arm and pushed the gun to his head,” Gilland described. “There was a loud bang and he was gone.”
The judge did accept part of Gilland’s testimony, but ultimately sentenced her to prison because of the trauma suffered by all the nursing staff and law enforcement who responded the day of the shooting.
Gilland did barricade herself in the room for several hours and threatened to shoot anyone who came in.
One of the nurses took the stand. He said he left his job after what happened.
“I didn’t feel safe anymore, so I just needed to find other places to go,” Hector Aponte said. “I got nightmares. I do go to a psychologist, helps me out with it.”
Gilland was out on bond, but she was taken into custody Friday right away to begin serving her sentence.
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