Shelby Jean Rodriguez testified in her own defense on Nov. 5 in 187th District Court that she took out a kitchen knife while washing dishes and that the encounter became physical when her husband, Anthony Rodriguez, lunged at her and the blade contacted her neck.

"He pushed the knife up to my neck," Rodriguez told jurors, describing the contact in the kitchen doorway and saying she feared for her life. She said she went to a cabinet above the refrigerator where the family stored a handgun and removed the firearm because she feared for her safety. "I feared for my life," she testified.

Rodriguez acknowledged she pulled the handgun and that it was aimed to make her husband back away. She told jurors she did not put her finger on the trigger and that, after a struggle, she returned the gun to the cabinet. She said a gumball machine stored above the fridge was knocked off and fell during the commotion.

She admitted an earlier nonlethal physical incident with her husband during the COVID period when she said he slapped her; she characterized that as a prior isolated event. She acknowledged the couple had been experiencing marital strain and testified she had been attempting to preserve normalcy for their three children by taking them on planned activities despite recent conflicts.

Defense counsel questioned details of the state's evidence and stressed that Rodriquez reached for the gun only after she said her husband pushed the knife into her. The defense entered photos of the kitchen and the cabinet where the gun was kept; those defense exhibits were admitted without objection.

On cross-examination, prosecutors pointed to photos of Rodriguez taken that night showing blood on her hands and bandaging on her arm and asked why she did not call police sooner. Rodriguez said she planned to call and that she ultimately allowed officers into the house and cooperated with their evidence collection.

Rodriguez testified she had sought medical care days earlier for possible sexually transmitted infection concerns that had strained the marriage and that she and her husband had discussed those issues in the days leading up to Nov. 5. The jury heard the defendant concede she had been angry and upset during portions of the events on the 5th.

The defense rested after Rodriguez's testimony concluded. The state will address the defendant's account and the physical evidence in closing arguments.