Previously convicted in her husband’s death, Conway woman released after winning appeal
A Conway woman who shot and killed her husband in a high-profile case has been released from prison on bond after an appeals court ordered her release.
Heather Sims was released Wednesday on $50,000 bond after being transferred from her prison to J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
In February, an S.C. appeals court repealed Sims’ conviction and sentence. In 2015, a jury convicted Sims of voluntary manslaughter for the shooting death of her husband, David Sims, in the couple’s Conway home in 2013. A judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
As part of its order, the appeals court ruled Heather Sims was not eligible to be retired because double jeopardy already applied in her case.
“We’re certainly happy at this point,” said Alex Hyman, one of Sims’ defense attorneys in February.
Police initially charged Heather Sims with murder. The state argued Heather shot her husband once in the chest during a fight, but Sims contended the shooting was in self-defense.
During jury instruction the judge told the jurors they could find her guilty of other charges, including voluntary manslaughter. The defense objected to jurors being allowed to consider crimes other than murder, according to court records.
The jury also acquitted Sims of murder and involuntary manslaughter on its verdict form.
The appeals court ruled the trial judge erred in instructing the jury and allowing them to consider the voluntary manslaughter charge. The court ruled the evidence did not support a voluntary manslaughter charge.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 1:42 PM.
