HERMANN — Saying he wanted his sentence to reflect the thinking of the jury, which appeared to be in a somewhat forgiving mood, the 20th Circuit’s top judge Friday handed down a 10-year prison term to a Hermann woman in the 2020 killing of her housemate.

In July, a jury convicted Christine Elizabeth Weber of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action and recommended a sentence of 15 years — 10 years on the homicide conviction and 5 years for armed criminal action. Weber had been facing a first-degree murder charge.

But defense attorney Matthew Mueller successfully argued that Weber was the victim of domestic abuse and acted out of fear that housemate Alfonse Falco would make good on threats to kill her. Weber shot and killed Falco as he was retrieving laundry from the dryer that was in a room in her portion of the home they shared.

Mueller asked Circuit Court Presiding Judge Craig E. Hellmann to consider a reduced sentence, citing the abusive relationship Weber was in with Falco.

Assistant Missouri Attorney General Greg Goodwin, who, along with fellow assistant Michael Schaefer, represented the state in place of Gasconade County Prosecuting Attorney Mary E. Weston against Weber, argued against a lighter term.

“Ten years…is not excessive” on the involuntary manslaughter conviction, he said.

Mueller moments earlier had asked the judge to consider placing Weber on house arrest and be required to wear an electronic device used to track her movements. That request drew a sharp rebuke from Goodwin.

“The motion is preposterous,” Goodwin said. “I would ask the court to deny the motion for reduced punishment,” the assistant attorney general said.

But Hellmann indicated that he recognized the jury’s acknowledgment of the abusive relationship.

“This court intends to respect the verdict of the jury,” he said. The jury could have recommended a term of 15 years on the involuntary manslaughter charge.

Mueller’s request that Weber be allowed to be free on a $10,000 bond — which would have required a $1,000 payment to the court — while pending an appeal was rejected.

“This court is convinced the verdict will be affirmed” by the Court of Appeals, Hellmann said. “It makes sense for Miss Weber to begin her sentence now,” the judge added.

Weber’s time in prison could be substantially less than the 10 years if she receives credit for the time she has been in custody — one month shy of four years from the time of her arrest in 2020. There’s also the possibility of an early release for good behavior while in prison.

Also, if not for the state law that requires the sentence for armed criminal action be served consecutively to the involuntary manslaughter sentence, Weber’s time in prison might have been only for a short period.