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The Colorado animal rights activist who pleaded guilty to charges related to allegations she plotted to have her estranged husband’s love interest killed was sentenced Monday to 10 years minus time served.
Jefferson County 1st Judicial District Judge Randall C. Arp also ordered 43-year-old Jennifer Reba Emmi to serve three years of mandatory parole after release.
Jennifer Emmi (Jefferson County Sheriff)
Emmi was joined by her two lawyers during the hearing, when co-counsel M. Colin Bresee spoke for more than an hour about his client's character and her recent struggles in her relationship and battling illnesses and apparent addictions. Bresee asked that his client receive probation, rather than prison time, because she needed help coping and to be able to see her family.
It had been 17 months and 26 days "since Jennifer has been allowed to see her children or hug her children," Bresee said. He later added: "She doesn't need more punishment from this court. She comes before this court begging you for your help."
Bresee later continued: "Jennifer needs your help, and sentencing her to prison guarantees she won't get the help she needs and she wants."
Emmi's mother, the community, and her divorce attorney also spoke in her support.
Meanwhile, the prosecution asked that Emmi be given prison time, arguing that Emmi failed to take responsibility for her actions. Judge Arp said he had seen "two sides" of Emmi.
"You take almost no accountability for your actions and blame your husband au pair," he said, adding: "I believe you continue to pose a risk to the community and those victims, mostly because you're blaming others, anything and anyone, rather than taking responsibility for your actions."
In July, Bresee confirmed to Fox News that his client had pleaded guilty to charges stemming from allegations that she tried to hire ranch hands to kill her estranged husband’s girlfriend.
"Malcolm (Seawell) and I respect Judge Arp's articulated sentence; however, we respectfully disagree with Judge Arp's sentence for the reasons we articulate," Bresee said in a statement to Fox News.
FAMOUS TV LAWYER IN COLORADO PLEADS GUILTY TO MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT TARGETING HUSBAND’S GIRLFRIEND
Emmi ultimately admitted to the charges of solicitation of second-degree murder, retaliation against a witness or a victim and stalking, all of which are felonies, according to local 9 News. In turn, prosecutors dropped several charges, including solicitation of first-degree murder, the report states.
Prior to her guilty plea, Emmi – who also goes by the name Jennifer Reba Edwards – was being held in the Jefferson County jail on a $3 million bond. In addition to the murder-for-hire plot, Emmi was accused of choking her child, holding a knife to her estranged husband's throat and threatening to drive into a tractor-trailer with one of their kids, past law enforcement records show.
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An affidavit released earlier this year described how Emmi had been charged with 16 felonies and 16 misdemeanors in five separate felony cases "for crimes involving a pattern of domestic violence stalking, assault, child abuse, victim/witness tampering, victim retaliation, attempting to influence public servants and violating court orders."
The Emmis had been married for more than a decade and were in the midst of a divorce when the allegations were made.
Fox News' James Leggate contributed to this report.
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