Manslaughter charge dropped against Vilonia woman

By The Associated Press

VILONIA — Prosecutors have dropped a manslaughter charge against a Vilonia woman over the 2006 death of her elderly father, saying an autopsy shows the man died of a heart attack.

Lisa Roofener says she got into a scuffle with Clayton "Bill" Paul over a walking cane just before he collapsed on Dec. 29, 2006. Roofener said she tossed the cane out the back door, but by that time, he had suffered the fatal heart attack.

"I did CPR and all that on him," she said, but her efforts were unsuccessful.

In early January, as Roofener was preparing herself and her children for her father's visitation, she was arrested at her home on the manslaughter charge. However, prosecutors and police had yet to get an autopsy report on Paul's death.

Faulkner County Circuit Judge Charles "Ed" Clawson approved the warrant, something he described as "not common" before receiving autopsy results. However, the judge said Roofener's misdemeanor domestic battery conviction in September 2004 involving her father fueled suspicions.

"I pled guilty to keep that from being a major issue," Roofener said Friday. "My dad had voluntarily gave a statement that nothing happened, but ... my public defender thought I should plead to a misdemeanor. I just didn't know that it would affect me for the rest of my natural life."

Roofener's lawyer, Frank Shaw, said he had faith that Roofener would be exonerated all along.

"My client was confident from the very beginning that the autopsy would be in her favor and she was right," Shaw said. "Upon receiving the autopsy report and giving it sufficient review, the prosecutor's office decided to dismiss the charges and I applaud them for doing the right thing."

However, Roofener said she feels "the court of public opinion" has already ruled against her.

"I just want this to all be over with so we can all get back to our lives and finally grieve the way we should have been able to," she said.

For more information see Monday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.