Breaking her silence!
Gina Kirschenheiter broke her silence days after giving an emotional impact statement in court on Tuesday, April 20.
The Real Housewives of Orange County star cried in court after ex-husband Matt Kirschenheiter pleaded guilty to domestic battery case.
Per Us Weekly, “Matt plead guilty to one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury of a spouse, and guilty to one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, or deceit.”
An already emotional Gina sobbed while telling the judge, “It’s hard.”
“I thought I was going to die. I still get chills thinking about how I begged you to, ‘Stop. Think about the kids.’ And you responded by saying, ‘Your mom is going to die tonight.’ It echoes in my brain, and it sinks deep in my heart,” she said. “That night, it literally felt like I was in a house with a stranger whom I’d never met before. Your eyes were completely black, and you were not Matt. It was so hard for me to believe that it was even you, but it was.”
She continued, “It’s taken me a lot of time, self-care, and therapy to work through what happened that night, but I have managed to forgive you for most of it. I accept that I will always have this painful memory from that night. I’ve come to terms with that.”
Matt was sentenced to 180 days in county jail however he will not have to spend any time in jail if he “completes a number of conditions for 178 days, including wearing a bracelet monitor, finishing a 52-week batterer’s program, and three years of formal probation.”
He also agreed to a “peaceful contact protective order,” which means that he cannot harass or threaten his ex-wife.
Days after Matt’s sentencing, Gina broke her silence on Instagram.
Gina shared a quote that read: “Say what you need to say. Stand up for yourself. It will hurt just as bad as not standing up for yourself but the long-term pain will be lessened exponentially.”
She elaborated even more in the post’s caption, writing, “It’s been a hard last few days but it will be ok. It always is. endless gratitude to everyone who has been sending me love and supporting me.”
The reality TV star accused her ex-husband of domestic violence in June 2019. The 36-year-old claims Matt physically attacked her after a drunken night out.
“I was really scared,” Gina revealed in 2019 at the RHOC season 14 reunion. “I ran out of the house, and I rang my neighbor’s doorbell, and I was banging on the door, and [Matt] dragged me back in the house.”
RHOC is expected to return for season 16 in late 2021 or early 2022.
Thoughts on Gina’s statement? Are you surprised Matt isn’t going to jail? Sound off below!
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