KALISPELL — Rachel Bellesen, who had been charged with shooting and killing her former husband Jacob Glace, has been cleared of deliberate homicide and had her case dismissed.
MTN News talked with Bellesen’s defense attorney about what this means for Bellesen, and those supporting her.
Sanders County prosecutors charged Bellesen with deliberate homicide after she shot and killed Glace last October. She was arrested in Hot Springs after calling the police to tell them what happened.
Bellesen told officers that Glace tried to rape her that afternoon while they were meeting to discuss their son. Bellesen says he tried to rape her more than once.
She claimed the shooting was self-defense, but Sanders County prosecutors charged her with murder.
The case continued until this week when the court dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that she can not be charged again.
Defense attorney Lance Jasper says that this is a landmark case due to the fact many women in the United States are convicted of the same crime, with the same circumstances.
“There's a lot of Rachel Bellesens around this country that are in similar situations or in custody...with similar facts on it. It was a good day for justice,” Jasper said.
The case has drawn national attention and a documentary about the case is already underway.
Bellesen and her supporters will gather at Depot Park on Wednesday night to celebrate the dismissal of her case.
