VERO BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — An Indian River County judge dropped the murder charge against a Vero Beach woman accused of killing her boyfriend last year.
On Thursday, the judge ruled prosecutors did not meet the burden of proof needed to overcome a claim of self-defense. He threw out the second-degree murder charge against Donna Smith and stated she would be immune from further prosecution.
Smith, 50, was arrested after she allegedly shot Jeffrey Simmons and then called 911 to report that she had killed him. The judge found that the two were arguing earlier in the evening and Smith left Simmons’ condominium to drive to her office…