In the fall of 1992, the life of Donald Corbett came to a tragic end in his Colorado Springs apartment. On October 22, 1992, Donald, a man, was shot in the throat with his own. 45-caliber revolver during a dispute with his live-in girlfriend, Army Spc. Honey Denise Downen. The single gunshot resulted in his death from bleeding and asphyxiation. The bullet tore through his neck, voice box, and upper lung.
The investigation into Donald's death led to the arrest of Honey Denise Downen.
The case proceeded to a military court-martial where she was initially charged with premeditated murder, a charge that could have carried a life sentence. During the three-day trial, the defense argued that the shooting was a 'tragic accident' that occurred as Downen tried to take the gun away from her boyfriend after he had cocked it and pointed it at her. The prosecution contended that she had acted in cold blood. Ultimately, the five-officer panel rejected both the claim of a complete accident and the assertion of a cold-blooded killing.
After nearly two and a half hours of deliberation, the panel found Downen guilty of negligent homicide, the least serious charge she could have faced. This verdict indicated the panel believed she failed to exercise 'due care' in preventing his death. For her role in the death of Donald Corbett, Downen was sentenced to four months in prison. However, she received credit for the four and a half months she had already been jailed awaiting her court-martial, meaning she would serve no additional time. Her sentence also included the forfeiture of pay and allowances and a reduction in rank to E-1.
