Nancy Crampton Brophy Murder Trial: She Takes The Stand In Own Defense

PORTLAND, OR — Nancy Crampton Brophy took the stand in her own defense Monday as she defends herself against the charge that she murdered her husband, Daniel, a popular chef/instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute. It was the 20th day of testimony in the trial, which is being held in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

It's like you've lost an arm, like you're not as good as you were with him," she said when one of her lawyers asked what life was like without her husband.

"You were the best that you could be when you were together with him."

Daniel was found shot to death in one of the kitchens at the Oregon Culinary Institute on June 2, 2018. Crampton Brophy was arrested 3 months later.

Prosecutors had painted financial turmoil as a possible motive for Crampton Trophy killing her husband, something that she denied doing, having pleaded not guilty.

Guided by a member of her defense team, Crampton Brophy conceded that while they had had severe; financial roadblocks – medical expenses for both of them and their dog, among them – she told the jury that "I thought that we were over the hump.

"I thought that things looked really good, so good that I was doing a little dance of happiness.."