McCafferty pardon outrages prosecutor, surprises family Victim's family learned through The Enquirer that Gov. Beshear pardoned Cheryl McCafferty, his killer.

As Cheryl McCafferty prepares to start a new life outside prison, the family of the man she killed is left stunned by her impending release. And the prosecutor who got her convicted is outraged that they were not informed.

"We were extremely disappointed and frustrated to first learn about the governor’s pardon from the news media," Robert McCafferty's family said in a statement released Tuesday to the media. "We weren't afforded the common courtesy of a phone call from his office to let us know about this thoughtless and inexplicable decision."

"That's an extreme injustice," Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney Michelle Snodgrass said Tuesday.

Robert McCafferty's family was never contacted by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear or his staff before he issued pardons for 197 prisoners, including Cheryl McCafferty, on Monday night.

"Bob's family saw a news alert on nky.com and they called me," said Snodgrass, who prosecuted McCafferty for the 2007 killing of her husband. The Enquirer sent out the alert at 9:20 p.m. Monday.

Beshear declined to talk about McCafferty's pardon. Asked by an Enquirer reporter about it at Gov. Matt Bevin's inauguration, Beshear said: “I’m not going to discuss any particular case, but we made our best judgment on every case and hopefully those people will all have a fresh start in life.”

Cheryl McCafferty herself did not find out about the pardon until she spoke to her mother at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. "She was so excited," said Betty Gosney of Northern Kentucky. "This has been a very, very, very long process with hundreds of people trying to get the governor's attention to intervene."

She said she and Cheryl McCafferty's son and daughter are "absolutely elated" with Beshear's decision to pardon her.

Gosney said it's her understanding that her daughter will be officially released Wednesday. McCafferty is expected to return to Northern Kentucky.

Prosecutor Snodgrass said she'd contacted the governor's office "weeks ago" to find out if McCafferty had filed an application to be pardoned. "They told me there was none."

She asked that she and Bob McCafferty's family be consulted if Cheryl McCafferty was to be considered for a pardon. "I was told that I would be contacted."

But she wasn't, and neither were they.

The Enquirer left messages for the Kentucky Department of Corrections; however, Tuesday was not a work day. State offices were closed due to Governor-elect Matt Bevin's inauguration.

McCafferty was convicted of manslaughter in 2009 for firing a single fatal shot into his forehead in the bedroom of their Fort Thomas home.

The shooting sent the community reeling. The McCaffertys were a high-profile family in Fort Thomas, active in the community, with two school-aged children. She was an Enquirer advertising sales representative and he was a businessman.

Cheryl McCafferty took the stand at her own trial, saying she shot her husband with a .38-caliber Colt Special in self-defense.

She claimed she was a victim of domestic violence and said that, hours before she killed him, she woke up to a gun brushing her mouth. The gun was in Bob McCafferty's hand. It was the same gun she used to kill him later.

​She told jurors that the day before the killing, Robert McCafferty was arguing with their daughter about her conduct at school, her Internet use and her goal of becoming a model. His retaliation for defending her daughter, Cheryl McCafferty said, was a pistol-whipping, along with demands that she kill herself or he would shoot the children.

But Snodgrass said that in no way was the killing in self-defense.

McCafferty agreed to waive appeals of the conviction in exchange for an 18-year sentence. And as part of a deal, Snodgrass and her team of prosecutors did not challenge a defense motion asking the presiding judge to rule that McCafferty was a victim of domestic violence. Snodgrass has said that she was just trying to help the family get on with the rest of their lives.

After a 2011 hearing that resulted in McCafferty being denied parole, Snodgrass said the family was relieved she would remain in prison.

"Bob McCafferty's family in no way condones domestic violence, but throughout the course of the investigation there was no real evidence that she was in fact the victim of domestic violence," Snodgrass has said. "The only victim in this case was Robert McCafferty."

A jury of eight men and four women found Cheryl McCafferty guilty of first-degree manslaughter.

"The jury heard all of the facts,' Snodgrass said Tuesday. "Cheryl McCafferty was guilty of manslaughter. They had the option of self-defense. The facts did not support that verdict."

"It's frustrating that the decision of 12 who heard all of the facts could be outweighed by the decision of one," Snodgrass said.

The statement from Bob McCafferty's father and siblings criticized Beshear's decision: "Beshear’s unexpected pardon of convicted killer Cheryl McCafferty shows a jarring lack of respect for the memory of Bob McCafferty, a lack of respect for his father and siblings, and a lack of respect for the justice system."

Snodgrass said she feels for Bob McCafferty's family.

"I think they feel victimized yet again, because nobody even bothered to tell them."

Statement from the family of Robert McCafferty

Gov. Steve Beshear’s unexpected pardon of convicted killer Cheryl McCafferty shows a jarring lack of respect for the memory of Bob McCafferty, a lack of respect for his father and siblings, and a lack of respect for the justice system. Gov. Beshear’s pardon completely disregards the findings of a Campbell County jury, who convicted Cheryl McCafferty of manslaughter in March 2009, and the Circuit Judge, who sentenced her to 18 years in prison for this crime.

The Kentucky Parole Board denied her Parole in 2011 after thorough review of the facts of the case and a face-to-face interview with her. In November 2015, she was reviewed by the Parole Board and received a Serve Out on the sentence.



We were extremely disappointed and frustrated to first learn about the governor’s pardon from the news media. We weren't afforded the common courtesy of a phone call from his office to let us know about this thoughtless and inexplicable decision. In spite of this pardon, Cheryl McCafferty still committed the heinous act of killing an innocent and defenseless man while he slept. There was no credible evidence of a history of domestic violence presented at the trial. Gov. Beshear, in his last day in office, should not have rewarded her illegal actions with a pardon, which we see as an effort to absolve her of the terrible criminal act that took Bob's life.

We continue our love and support for Bob and the wonderful life and legacy he leaves behind. He is deeply missed by his extended family and many friends.



From the father and siblings of Robert McCafferty

Statement from the family of Cheryl McCafferty

Cheryl's entire family wishes to express our appreciation to Gov. Beshear for granting her a pardon. In addition, the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association has been extremely instrumental by providing new legal assistance.

It is imperative that society continues to be educated regarding the horrific crime of domestic violence that affects thousands of women and children each year. This crime exists at all social levels and too frequently becomes the hidden family secret.