Alabama Lawyer Accused of Trying to Murder Her Husband Three Times with Fentanyl: a Comprehensive Guide

The opposing counsel is already on the back foot—because when your spouse's criminal behavior intersects with your divorce strategy, you're not just winning custody arguments, you're rewriting the entire power dynamic of your case.

An Alabama attorney now faces attempted murder charges after allegedly poisoning her husband with fentanyl on three separate occasions. Let that sink in. A licensed lawyer—someone who swore an oath to uphold the law—allegedly weaponized one of the deadliest substances in America against her own spouse. The husband survived, but the marriage? That's a different kind of casualty. And if you think this case exists in isolation, you're underestimating how frequently criminal conduct becomes the nuclear option in high-stakes family law matters.

Why This Case Matters to Illinois High-Net-Worth Divorces

This isn't tabloid fodder. This is a masterclass in why your divorce attorney needs to think like a prosecutor, a forensic accountant, and a digital investigator simultaneously. Criminal conduct during marriage—whether it's attempted murder, financial fraud, or substance abuse—doesn't just affect criminal court. It becomes ammunition in family court. The judge already knows that character matters when dividing assets, awarding maintenance, and determining parental fitness.

In Illinois, dissipation claims, custody evaluations, and equitable distribution all bend toward the party who can demonstrate the other spouse's misconduct. When that misconduct is criminal? You've just shifted the entire battlefield.

The Pros and Cons of Criminal Conduct as Divorce Leverage

Strategic Advantages When Your Spouse Faces Criminal Charges

• Custody presumptions shift dramatically. A parent facing serious criminal charges—especially violent ones—faces an uphill battle proving they're fit for primary custody. Illinois courts prioritize the best interests of the child, and criminal conduct raises immediate red flags about judgment, stability, and safety.
• Asset protection becomes your weapon. When a spouse's criminal behavior depletes marital resources—legal fees, restitution, lost income—you can argue dissipation of marital assets. Every dollar they spend defending themselves is a dollar you can potentially recover in equitable distribution.
• Maintenance calculations favor the non-criminal spouse. Illinois courts consider the conduct of the parties when determining spousal support. Criminal behavior that destroys the family unit gives you leverage to argue for enhanced maintenance or reduced obligations.
• Digital evidence becomes your discovery goldmine. Criminal investigations generate evidence. Subpoenas, search warrants, forensic phone analysis—all of this can potentially be accessed or mirrored in your divorce proceedings. Cyber negligence is leverage in discovery, and a spouse who's sloppy enough to commit crimes is usually sloppy enough to leave digital footprints.
• Settlement pressure intensifies. A spouse facing criminal prosecution has limited bandwidth for a protracted divorce battle. They're bleeding money to criminal defense attorneys. They're emotionally compromised. This is when strategic pressure yields favorable settlements.

Potential Pitfalls to Navigate

• Criminal proceedings can delay your divorce. If your spouse invokes Fifth Amendment protections, discovery in your family law case may stall. You can't force testimony that might incriminate them, which means depositions become chess matches rather than information exchanges.
• Public attention creates complications. High-profile criminal cases attract media scrutiny. If you have children, protecting them from the fallout requires careful reputation management and potentially sealed proceedings.
• Emotional volatility increases risk. A spouse desperate enough to allegedly attempt murder three times is a spouse capable of unpredictable behavior. Orders of protection aren't just legal documents—they're survival tools. Take them seriously.
• Asset freezes can affect both parties. Criminal forfeiture proceedings may tie up assets you're counting on in your divorce settlement. You need an attorney who understands how to navigate parallel proceedings without losing your share.
• Overplaying your hand backfires. Judges despise parties who weaponize criminal allegations for tactical advantage without genuine concern for safety. If your claims appear manufactured or exaggerated, you lose credibility on everything else.

The Tech-Law Intersection: Where Modern Divorces Are Won

The Alabama case reportedly involved fentanyl administration—a substance that leaves traces, creates medical records, and potentially generates digital evidence through purchase histories, communications, and internet searches. In Illinois high-net-worth divorces, this intersection of technology and criminal conduct is where cases are won or lost.

Your spouse's phone isn't just a communication device. It's a forensic evidence repository. Cloud backups, location data, financial app transactions, encrypted messaging metadata—all of this is discoverable under the right circumstances. When criminal conduct enters the equation, courts become far more willing to authorize invasive discovery.

The smart play? Preserve everything. Document contemporaneously. Secure your own digital perimeter while your attorney prepares discovery requests that will make opposing counsel's stomach drop.

Protecting Yourself When Your Spouse Becomes Dangerous

The Alabama case isn't just about legal strategy—it's about survival. If you suspect your spouse is capable of violence, your first call isn't to a divorce attorney. It's to law enforcement. But your second call? That's when strategic planning begins.

Emergency orders of protection in Illinois can be obtained ex parte—meaning without your spouse present. These orders can grant you exclusive possession of the marital residence, temporary custody, and prohibit contact. They're not just pieces of paper. When combined with proper documentation and security measures, they're the foundation of your safety plan and your legal strategy.

Your Opposition Is Already Losing

When criminal conduct intersects with family law, the spouse who moves first, documents thoroughly, and strategizes aggressively wins. Full stop. Your opposition just blinked—whether they know it yet or not.

This isn't about vindictiveness. It's about protecting your assets, your children, and your future from someone who's demonstrated they're willing to break the law. Illinois courts take that seriously. So should you.

Book your consultation with Steele Family Law now. While your spouse is scrambling to explain their conduct to investigators, you should be positioning for total strategic dominance in your divorce. The clock is already running. Make it count.