Woman pleads not guilty to killing husband she says beat her
KENT, Wash. -- A woman who prosecutors say stabbed her husband to death because she was tired of him beating her pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Janice Burrell, 45, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Arthur Smith.
Smith was fatally stabbed inside a car as the couple drove through Kent on May 25.
Police found Smith bloodied in the back seat of the car after a teenage boy came inside the Kent Multicare Clinic to say a family member had been stabbed and was bleeding in the parking lot.
Medics rushed to the car, but Smith died at the scene.
According to court documents, one of the police officers at the scene recognized Burrell from numerous prior contacts with her and Smith and asked her what happened.
"You know me," Burrell said, according to the documents. "I killed him. You know what he does to me. I am so tired of him beating on me."
Investigators said the couple began arguing in the back seat of the car while Smith's nephew was driving.
The nephew told police he heard what sounded like slapping and looked in the rear view mirror to see Smith had been stabbed.
Burrell was arrested at the scene and told detectives she pulled out a knife "stabbed him," according to court documents.
She is being held on $1 million bail.
Janice Burrell, 45, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Arthur Smith.
Smith was fatally stabbed inside a car as the couple drove through Kent on May 25.
Police found Smith bloodied in the back seat of the car after a teenage boy came inside the Kent Multicare Clinic to say a family member had been stabbed and was bleeding in the parking lot.
Medics rushed to the car, but Smith died at the scene.
According to court documents, one of the police officers at the scene recognized Burrell from numerous prior contacts with her and Smith and asked her what happened.
"You know me," Burrell said, according to the documents. "I killed him. You know what he does to me. I am so tired of him beating on me."
Investigators said the couple began arguing in the back seat of the car while Smith's nephew was driving.
The nephew told police he heard what sounded like slapping and looked in the rear view mirror to see Smith had been stabbed.
Burrell was arrested at the scene and told detectives she pulled out a knife "stabbed him," according to court documents.
She is being held on $1 million bail.
