Woman accused of murder was convicted of manslaughter

CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — Donna Harris was convicted of killing her boyfriend 10 years ago and now she's charged with murdering her husband.

Harris stood before a judge Thursday to answer to a murder charge of stabbing her husband.
 
Eyewitness News reporter Tina Terry discovered why she received a plea deal in the previous murder case.
 
Harris left her first court appearance Thursday in handcuffs and said she is not guilty of murdering her husband in their Hudson apartment.
 
Police arrested and charged her Monday.
 
"The guy came up, knocked on the door and said someone dial 911 I've been stabbed," said a neighbor.
 
Neighbors who helped William Harris after the stabbing said police were always at their home.
 
They said there always seemed to be turmoil between the couple.
 
"Ever since I've been here, it's been nothing but fights and arguing the whole time," a neighbor said.
 
Donna Harris was also charged with murder in 2003, according to court documents.
 
Police said she shot her boyfriend, Gary Wayne Hollar, at their house on Old Morganton Road in Lenoir but documents showed she pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

The district attorney said the charge was appropriate because Hollar had a history of violence against women and at the time he was accused of assaulting Harris. 
 
But, friends of Hollar said they believe Harris was the aggressor and said she should have been convicted of murder 10 years ago.
 
"It was an injustice and now another man is dead because of it," a friend of Hollar said.
 
In both of those cases, police said they were called to both homes often to break up fights.
 
Hudson police said they arrested Harris' husband two times this year and charged him with assault on a female.

WSOC