AUSTIN, Texas – A judge shot during an assassination attempt outside her Austin, Texas, home has told jurors that there were times she wanted to die following the 2015 attack.
The Austin American-Statesman reports that state District Judge Julie Kocurek testified Thursday that "at one point, I felt I was so damaged and I wanted to die."
Kocurek testified during the trial of Chimene Onyeri, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges.
Onyeri had previously appeared before Kocurek, and federal prosecutors say he wanted her dead to avoid going to prison on a probation violation.
Kocurek underwent 20-plus surgeries and lost a finger after the attack.
She said she was so afraid that she felt briefly like her family might be better without her, and also contemplated leaving the bench.
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