A 78-year-old woman admitted to shooting her terminally ill husband in what she described as a mercy killing and was taken into custody to serve nearly one year in jail. With a stoic expression, Ellen Gilland received her sentence on Friday, marking the end of an emotional legal battle.
Gilland’s attorney, Matthew Ferry, had hoped for a probation sentence but expressed gratitude that the judge showed compassion, considering she originally faced up to 10 years behind bars.
During the sentence hearing, Gilland recounted the tragic moment, stating that her terminally ill husband wanted her to end his suffering. “I held the gun behind his ear. I pulled it away and asked him if he was sure. He raised his hand and placed it on my arm and pushed the gun to his head,” she testified. “There was a loud bang and he was gone.”
While the judge accepted parts of her testimony, the court ultimately determined that the trauma experienced by hospital staff and responding law enforcement officers warranted jail time. After the shooting, Gilland barricaded herself in the room for hours and threatened to shoot anyone who entered.
One of the nurses, Hector Aponte, took the stand and shared how the incident left lasting emotional scars. “I didn’t feel safe anymore, so I just needed to find other places to go,” he said, revealing that he now suffers from nightmares and sees a psychologist for support.
Gilland, who had been out on bond, was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing.
