PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia judge has found a Fishtown mother guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of her boyfriend nearly two years ago, after the pair got into a fight about a movie and he insulted her son.
Small in stature, 38-year-old Jeannette Wakefield was sobbing and shaking moments before Judge Scott O'Keefe ruled in favor of the defense, finding her guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
Wakefield was charged with the murder of Terry Corrigan, who the defense argued was a violent man with a drug addiction, who Wakefield was afraid of.
Tim Tarpey, Wakefield's attorney, said his client acted out of fear on the night in question, during which Corrigan was described as acting more aggressive than usual.
"This wasn't a who-done-it," he said. "It was the law and what charges her actions really were."
Through the last few days of the bench trial, detectives and forensic experts went through photos of the crime scene at the Chandler Place apartments on Montgomery Avenue, depicting Corrigan's bloodied body on the floor.
But prosecutors argued the key witness in the case was the one who saw everything: Wakefield's son, who is now 12 years old. He tearfully testified about both adults getting into a fight over a movie. Hours later, as he stood behind his mother, the boy said she shot 33-year-old Corrigan in the face because he called her son a derogatory name.
But the victim's parents, Susan and Terrance, said their son was a kind soul.
"Clearly, she wasn't in harm or danger," argued Terrance.
"He always looked out for the underdog and protected them," added Susan, who said she would have preferred Wakefield to be charged with third-degree murder. "I pray to God she gets at least 20 years, because someone like her does not change in five."
Wakefield will be sentenced in October and could face decades in prison.
