PEA RIDGE, Ark. — The defense rested its case as to why Shawna Cash, a woman who was found guilty in the capital murder of a Pea Ridge police officer, should not receive the death penalty.
On Feb. 9, a Benton County jury found Cash guilty of killing Pea Ridge Police Officer Kevin Apple in 2021.
In addition to capital murder, she was also found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault, fleeing, and obstructing government operations.
On Monday, Feb. 12, the sentencing phase continued for Cash, but court started two hours later due to a winter weather warning.
The defense's first witness of the day was Cash's former boyfriend, Tristan Smith who is currently serving a prison sentence at the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Cash's lawyers said she lived with Smith and his family while she was a teen. While she was living with his family, Smith testified that was when Cash started taking methamphetamine.
Smith said that Cash saved his life once while he tried to commit suicide. Although he said he did not want to testify, he hoped his testimony could help save her life.
Kendra Roberts, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who has prescribed medications for Cash, testified about Cash's medications and their uses.
She mentioned that she diagnosed Cash with two instances of psychosis in the past. Roberts agreed with the prosecution that a large portion of the diagnosis comes from self-reporting.
Cash's medical and school records were also presented to the jury.
The sentencing phase will continue into Tuesday, Feb. 13, as the prosecution will decide whether to call any rebuttal witnesses to finalize their case or not.
Leading up to the guilty verdict
Cash's guilty verdict was determined after jury deliberations on Feb. 7 and 8, two days after the state rested its case in Cash's capital murder trial.
The prosecution called at least 11 witnesses during the first full day of the trial, including an officer who was on the scene at the time of the incident. The gallery was filled with spectators watching as prosecutors argued Cash "made a choice" when she hit and killed Pea Ridge Police Officer Kevin Apple with a car in 2021.
While on the stand, Officer Stamps recalled the scene and said he heard and saw Cash drive as fast as she could away from the gas station as Apple told her to “stop.” Stamps said Apple repeatedly yelled at Cash, "Don't do it.” As Cash drove away, Stamps said he fired his service weapon multiple times in an effort to stop her.
Other testimonies on Monday came from Fayetteville and Farmington officers who had previous run-ins with Cash within the year prior to the 2021 incident.
On Friday, Feb. 9, after the conviction but before sentencing, two former elementary school teachers of Cash testified that they remembered her as a quiet kid with very few friends. Reports from the Arkansas Department of Human Services were introduced that reportedly stated Cash would show up to school with infected tick bites and health issues, which led to a hospital stay and even reports of sexual abuse.
The prosecution also showed the jury photos, drone video, and hard evidence of the crime scene.
On the second full day of trial, pedestrian witnesses in the area recalled the day of the incident, with one witness saying he ran straight towards Apple's body after noticing it in the street.
The courts have entered their sentencing phase now, and 5NEWS will update this article as more information becomes available.
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