A western Iowa woman will appear before the Iowa Parole Board tomorrow, seeking a reduction in her prison sentence for the shotgun slaying of her husband. Dixie Shanahan-Duty of Defiance was given a mandatory 50-year prison sentence in 2004 after her conviction for the second-degree murder of her abusive husband. Duty shot Scott Shanahan in the back of the head in August of 2002, and hid his body in their bedroom for more than a year. During Duty’s trial in 2004, her lawyer argued that Duty was battling for her life the day she killed her husband. Duty will appear before the Iowa Parole Board on Friday, seeking a reduction in her prison sentence. The parole board will make a recommendation to the Governor on whether or not Duty’s sentence should be reduced. Governor Vilsack will make the final decision, probably this fall.
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