Angelina Napolitano

Angelina Napolitano (March 12, 1882 – September 4, 1932) was an immigrant to Canada who murdered her abusive husband in 1911, igniting a public debate about domestic violence and the death penalty. She was the first woman in Canada to use the battered woman defense on a murder charge and brought domestic abuse to national awareness.

Napolitano was found guilty, and although the jury recommended clemency, she was sentenced to death, which led to a flood of petitions asking to have her life spared.

Early life and marriage Angelina was born in Italy about 1883, probably in a small town not too far from Naples. The couple had four children. On April 16, 1911, Easter Sunday, when Angelina was six months pregnant, Pietro told her to go out and make money through sex or he would beat her, kill her, or kill her unborn child.