Woman Sentenced for Attack on Husband

(Salt Lake City, Utah) In February 2010, a 37-year-old mother-of-two, Amy Walker Ricks, pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault of her husband, Joel Ricks.

She admitted to blindfolding her husband and beating his head with a hammer.

As a result, 3rd District Judge William Barrett sentenced Amy Ricks to 30 days of home confinement.

"I'm happy with the sentence; she's happy with the sentence," said Susanne Gustin, Ricks' attorney. […]

After Ricks and her husband went on a date on May 4, 2007, they went to a Holladay condo belonging to a relative. There, she blindfolded her husband on the promise of a "surprise," leading him to the basement, where she attacked him with a hammer. He escaped the attack with minor injuries and called police.

Court filings claim Ricks was suffering from Battered Spouse Syndrome and did not remember the attack.

In her marriage to Joel Ricks, emotional abuse "wore down her self-esteem and wore down the core of who she was as a mother and as an LDS woman," Gustin said.

"Even though this looked premeditated, our expert talked about how a battered spouse feels almost like someone suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) in wartime." Gustin said.

Interestingly, a marriage counselor recommended that the Ricks go on the date. Meanwhile, Joel Ricks' family denied the claims of abuse.

Note that reporting on the attack of Joel Ricks has been sparse so it's not clear whether his wife was attempting to kill him or not but it sure seems that she was. With that in mind, a sentence of 30 days at home can hardly be called punishment.

Tip: Lame