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Goff gets chance before Ohio Supreme Court
Hamilton resident seeks new trial
Published Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A former Hamilton Township resident convicted of killing her estranged husband will have parts of her appeal heard by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Megan Goff is serving a 33 year sentence in the death of Bill Goff, who was shot 15 times in the head and upper chest at his home in March 2006. Megan Goff was arrested at the scene. She claimed the shooting was in self defense after years of domestic abuse.
During a bench trial the following year, visiting Judge Fred Crow rejected the claim of self defense and found her guilty of aggravated murder. Goff appealed her conviction but in September 2009 the Ohio Fourth District Court of Appeals denied all nine of her assignments of error — mistakes she said were made during her trial that should afford her a new one.
Last week in a 4-3 vote, the state’s highest court agreed to hear arguments on three of those assignments of error.
In her first assignment of error, Goff contends she was subjected to self-incrimination because she was ordered to submit to a psychiatric examination arranged by the prosecution to prove she suffered from battered woman’s syndrome
Goff also contends that the trial court erred when it ruled she had a duty to retreat and that evidence regarding battered woman’s syndrome was only relevant to the imminent harm element of self-defense.
In her third assignment of error, Goff contends the trial court erred when it failed to control Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Bob Anderson, whom she said led witnesses and “repeatedly crossed the line of adversarial representation.”
No date has yet been set for the Supreme Court to hear arguments in the case. Anderson said while the Supreme Court has decided to hear three arguments in the Goff case, it does not necessarily mean she will get a new trial.
“When they decide to hear it, it doesn’t mean they will overrule it but that it may be something they need to make a statement on,” Anderson said.
Goff’s attorney, Paula Brown, of Kravitz, Brown and Dortch, of Columbus, was not immediately available for comment.
Goff is serving her sentence at the state’s correctional facility for women in Marysville.
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Comments
Posted by hdm1903 (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
she will get a new trial based on the 3rd assignment of error. boob anderson.
Posted by RUNutz (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
She went to his home, "accidently" shot an unarmed man 15 times, now says, "the devil made me do it", and she wants out of prison? RUNutz?
Posted by P_TownKid (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope she wins. This guy had real problems when he married someone so much younger than him and then tried to be her over-bearing father. The abuse she went through was over-welming! And we all know that she didn't stand a chance for a fair trial in the city of Ironton. That place is so corrupt!
Posted by falinrok (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
1 or 2 rounds would be considerd self defence p_town but 15 , lol.. if you was watching the news or reading here you would know they were seperated. She went to his home, knocked at the door & when he answerd she emptied 2 (two for you portsmouth ppl) hand guns into his chest & head . Im all for raking a guy across the coals for abusing a woman but not a month after she left.
Posted by phantomclown (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Personally, she did act in self defense. It may have taken her a month to get up her cajones to go after him for all of the mean, undeniably cruel behaviors towards her and those children, but she did it. I hope someone allows her to receive help instead of locking her up for acting on all of those years of abuse. Unless you have been abused, you really don't know what happens in that kind of relationship. He derserved what he got.
Posted by firechief (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How long is this going to take and at what cost? We who knew Bill KNOW the story and the facts were not all there in the trail. BEFORE you cry for her know the FACTS. Not what the press says JUST THE FACTS.
Posted by snoopydog (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For what is worth She may have been abused but she left. Then to return and shoot him 15 times??????? Come on people She did a very wrong thing and should pay for it. Like firechief said, how much is this going to cost. She does needs help and hope she gets help but she is in the wrong.
Posted by Dad (anonymous) on February 3, 2010 at 12:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not about to believe for one second that Bill abused Megan. I can not even imagine any kind of abuse that would cause her to feel it was okay to empty two pistols into Bill. I am not buying any of her story.
Posted by jt287305 (anonymous) on February 3, 2010 at 1:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that is called Premeditated Murder because she went to the house with the gun. So she thought about it before she went there and then she put her thoughts in action. Be glad that she just got 33 years and I say chance for parole in 15 years or so. Be glad you’re not getting life with not chance for parole or even the needle. I see it once or twice a week that some one gets life for murder just watch trutv or former courtv. I have respect for a second chance of life but there has to be line some where.
Posted by 4victims (anonymous) on February 6, 2010 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Judge Crowe is the most reversed judge in the state of ohio, in court of appeals. Research it! Odd how he gets appointed to do dirty work of the weak. The robe is black for all, but for this county. Should be green.
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