Photo credits: The New York Times
Author’s note:
When is murder justified? The consensus seems to be that murder is justified when it is in self-defense, but it is much easier said than done to determine whether a murder was committed entirely out of self-defense. One case in which a debate around this dilemma arose is the 1984 Anita Ford case. Ford was in an extremely abusive marriage before she ultimately killed her husband. In a questionnaire used to determine whether someone is at risk of being killed by an abusive partner, Ford was found to have been in extreme danger of being killed by her husband before she killed him. Not only was she in danger, but so were her children. Yet, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1987. The night of Ford’s husband’s death, she had told him, “One of us is going to die,” to which he responded, “Then it’s going to be you.” Although Ford murdered her husband, it is important to fully acknowledge both perspectives in this case. This is necessary to draw a more concrete line between justified and unjustified murder concerning self-defense.
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Her heart nearly froze when she saw his name plastered across her phone with the words “Call incoming” below it. Why was he calling? What could he have to say?
Fingers shaking and mind racing with thoughts of her children, she answered the call with a shaky, “Hello?”
“Where are you?” His voice was raspy and urgent, and it ran shivers down her spine.
“Why?”
“I’m here with the kids,” he told her. “If you’re not home soon, they’re dead.”
The next twenty minutes were a blur of running to her car, speeding through each turn, ignoring every red light, and gripping the steering wheel as her heart seemingly beat a thousand times a minute. Blood was rushing to her face and she could not think about anything, even her own safety, as she sped, except for her children. How could he have found out where I lived? What had happened? Are my children dead? Will I be dead soon?
Slamming open her house door, she spotted him. Her kids seemed to be physically alright but looked mentally scarred. He had a menacing, violent look in his eyes. She took a deep breath and told him, “It’s either going to be you, or it’s going to be me. One of us is going to die, because I’m not playing this game anymore.”
“Then it’s going to be you,” he said. He was wrong.
That was the night Anita Ford killed her abusive husband. The two had had a long, complicated, and violent history, starting from the first fight they had a few years after their wedding. She had put a few dishes in the dishwasher, but her husband hated having dirty dishes left alone overnight. She recounts him screaming at her, then continuously punching her right arm and shoulder. She froze out of shock. He told her, if she could just do it his way, he would not be forced to hit her. He promised he would never hit her again, and that he was terribly sorry.
However, the violence continued. In fact, it escalated. Mr. Ford would drag Mrs. Ford by the hair and arm through dog feces that she had not cleaned up. He would squeeze her hand as she was holding glass until the sharp, fragile material shattered. He would time her trips to the grocery store, and when she reported him to the police, they told the couple to work it out and left. Mr. Ford gave her a black eye on two different occasions, according to Mrs. Ford. He would even hit their son and daughter at times.
She began saving money to escape. She rented an apartment and even got a new babysitter so her husband could not track her. When the time was right, she took her children, then three- and five-years-old, and left.
Her escape did not go as planned, however. Mr. Ford found out where she had gone and went to her home. He told the babysitter that Mrs. Ford had asked him to pick up the kids. When Mrs. Ford found out and called her husband, he told her that she must get home or he would kill their children.
The events of that night led Mrs. Ford to be charged with first-degree murder for her role in killing her husband. The first-degree conviction indicated that she had premeditated the murder. Before Mr. Ford’s death, Mrs. Ford’s Danger Assessment showed that she was in extreme danger of being killed by him. Regardless of this, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Many have questioned why she received such a harsh punishment if it was clear that she was acting in self-defense. In other words, her case has been debated as some believe that the murder she committed was justifiable for the protection of herself and her children.
According to California Law, people are justified in murdering if they act in self-defense, are trying to defend their home or property, or are police trying to make a citizen’s arrest. Self-defense has been defined by FindLaw as the act of using force or violence to protect oneself, or a third party, from imminent danger. Thus, if the victim reasonably believes that they are in immediate danger of harm or death, they are acting in self-defense.
In the case of Anita Ford, she was attempting to defend her new home, her children, and herself. Her husband explicitly threatened to kill her before she had killed him. Therefore, according to the law, the murder that Anita Ford committed is justifiable because she was acting in self-defense. It is crucial to acknowledge and apply regulations related to self-defense to ensure fair and just judgement and convictions.
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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues.
Work Cited
“Excusable and Justifiable Homicide – The Law in California.” Shouse Law Group, https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/laws/justifiable-homicide/. Accessed 17 September 2024.
FindLaw Staff, and Melissa Bender. “Self-Defense Law: Overview.” FindLaw, 15 August 2023, https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-law-basics/self-defense-overview.html. Accessed 17 September 2024.
Snyder, Rachel Louise. “Who Gets to Kill in Self-Defense?” The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/09/04/opinion/women-kill-self-defense.html.
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