The Case of Donna Fryman- Murder of Self-Defense?
For this case I watched an episode of Hear No Evil. It’s season 1 episode 2, titled ‘Death By Design.’ I liked this show, because it tells the story through audio tapes and interrogations.
A man is killed by his wife, but was it murder of self-defense?
Background
Donna and Danny Fryman
Danny and Donna Fryman met in high school, and they fell in love. They got married in 1986, when Donna was just 19 years old.
They seemed happy for awhile, and even built a business together called Pizazz Interiors in Louisville, Kentucky, but it would be that business that would be their demise.
Infidelity and Abuse
Danny and Donna’s business started off as being very successful. Danny was the head designer, and would design multi-million dollar homes, and Donna handled the business side of things. However, it became stressful to keep their dream afloat.
A few months after opening Pizazz, Donna discovered her husband had been keeping secrets. Danny had been having an affair with his assistant Kim. He had also been doing drugs and drinking heavily. He was not the same person he had once been.
Gail, Donna’s sister, and her husband Matt, were the main talking heads in this episode. They said they had always looked up to Danny and Donna, and often did a lot of double dating. They said Danny had a split personality when he was drinking, and that the couples drifted from each other. Gail said Donna didn’t tell her until later about everything going on because she was embarrassed.
Donna didn’t tell anyone, but she did write about everything in her journal and she recorded everything with a tape recorder. She said she recorded the conversations because she didn’t think the police would ever believe her.
The Closing of Pizazz
Donna did file for divorce in 2002, but several months later, Danny came crawling back. He begged Donna for her forgiveness and she let him back in her life. Danny had seemed sorry, and sober. However, it didn’t last long.
Danny had gone back to his old ways. This time, he stared using heroin and became even more violent. This also was the last straw and on February 14, 2003, they had to close their business.
Their house was also foreclosed on, and they lived in the house, but it could have been any day where they were forced to leave. Danny was also begging for money and on the day he died, that was why Donna called her sister.
The Murder
On January 12, 2004, Gail and Matt received a call from Donna at 3am. Gail heard talking and shouting in the background and told Matt to call 911. While Matt was calling 911, Gail suddenly heard gun shots and then Donna said she had just shot Danny.
The police arrived at the Fryman home, and so did Gail and Matt. Danny had been shot twice in the chest and once in the hand. He died at the hospital. Donna was taken to the police station.
The Fryman home
Donna explained that Danny had picked up the gun first, and even pulled the trigger, missing her toe by a few inches. She also said she grabbed her gun, tried to run out the backdoor, but it was stuck. Danny had caught up to her and said she didn’t have the balls to pull the trigger. She did. She also recorded the last few minutes of Danny’s life.
The tape was played while Donna was being interrogated, and on tape, Donna is heard yelling “why did you do this to me?” Danny is heard begging for help, and saying he didn’t want to die. Donna then says “why don’t you ask that whore for help?” The police were stunned, to them Donna didn’t seem like a battered wife, but a jealous one.
On March 18, 2004, Donna was arrested for the murder of her husband.
Trial
Donna’s trial was all over the news and media. Steve Romines was Donna’s defense attorney. He said that once the jury heard Donna’s other recorded tapes, they would realize that she was being abused.
First, the tape from after Danny had been shot was played. To the court room, it seemed that Donna was taunting Danny. He was literally begging for help and she wasn’t giving it to him.
Donna’s other recordings weren’t played until the last day of the trial. However, it really did change a lot of people’s opinions. On the tape, Danny is heard saying “you’re so dead.” He also said “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill your dad and your sister.” Finally, he said “I’ll blow your f****** head off.”
The trial lasted three weeks, and Donna was found not guilty.
Other
Donna was also interviewed in this episode. She said she’s still traumatized by what happened, but that she doesn’t forgive Danny.
After her trial, Donna went to live with Gail and Matt.
Donna in the episode of Hear No Evil
FINAL THOUGHTS
I do think Danny was abusive to Donna, you can definitely hear it in the audio tapes, however I think she was being cruel for not getting him help when he was begging for it. It’s a hard case to share my opinions on because she did kill someone that she once loved, but I think she truly was afraid of him. There are other people who said Danny was abusive, and that he was not the same man he once was. I think her trial was fair, and I hope she isn’t in fear anymore.
The one thing I didn’t like is how she still said she doesn’t forgive him and that everything was his fault, he’s dead so she should just let it be. I’m not telling her how to feel, because I’ve never been in that situation. She’s entitled to feel however she wants to.
If you’re unsure about it, I would definitely recommend watching the Hear No Evil episode.
Sources
https://www.wave3.com/story/4598489/woman-acquitted-in-ex-husbands-death/
