US v. Stephens Dominique Witness

When did you marry Donovan Stevens?

When I was 18

What is your job?

I am a full time mom to my two children: Jonathan (4), Stephanie (2)

When did the beatings start?

Almost as soon as we got married

Why were you constantly scared?

I never knew when the next beating would take place

When and why did you go to the hospital?

June 12 with bruises all over my body

Why did you agree then change your mind to speaking to the police?

I was scared of what would happen if Donovan found out, I thought he would kill me. About a week before he died, he almost did kill me (doctors said I was very lucky to be alive)

Why did you run to the womens shelter?

Because Donovan threatened to hurt the children

Why could you only stay 3 days at the shelter?

They wanted me to go to another shelter but it was a dump and I could not bear the thought of being there with my kids on Christmas. I also had no money and no choice because I had nothing to live on.

Why did you go back even though the person at the shelter told you that you could get a job?

Just because he said I could get a job doesnt meant he provided me with one. Even if he did, who would want me? I had no work experience?

Why did you call Donovan that day?

As I stated before, I did not want to stay in a shelter with my kids on christmas, and did not really have any other options.

Why did you go back home even though you said you were always scared of what he would do next?

When I called him, he said he was very sorry and that he loved us. Sometimes he could be nice, and I had nothing to live on if I did not go back.

Why didn’t Donovan hit you the night before you left for the shelter even though he typically would?

I didn’t know why, but I was still scared regardless. I never knew when the next beating would take place.

How did Donovan’s pistol play into your decision to kill him?

When he came back with his pistol, took it out of the case and loaded it in front of me, pointed at me and said he would take care of me for good next time, I was scared. I had to save myself, and more importantly, my children

Where did you hide the gun?

In the kitchen

Why did you feel the need to hide his gun?

He said he would “take care of me for good next time”, and “next time” would be when he had access to the gun so I had to prevent that.

What kind of mood did Donovan come home with on December 24th?

A nasty one. He was also pretty drunk.

Why did you think that cleaning the whole house and making dinner would prevent Donovan from hitting you?

I thought that doing something nice would take his mind off of beating me, but as soon as he saw me, he began complaining that he never got any peace and quiet around the house.

What did Donovan say to you before passing out on the bed when looking for his gun?

“I’ll teach you a lesson youll never forget. Bang. You’re dead. DEAD. You and the two brats.” He made a gun with his fingers as he said this and pretended to shoot me. I really did protect myself by hiding the gun. He would have killed me.

Why did you believe that when he woke up the next morning, Donovan would kill you and your children?

Because of what he told us the night before, the recurring beatings, and him saying that he would take care of me for good next time. He almost killed us last time.

Why did you take his gun and kill Donovan Stevens?

In order to save the lives of my children and I.