Widow of slain Bell Gardens mayor Lyvette Crespo pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $ $ 53 million bond . The 43-year-old told authorities it was in self-defense after her husband punched their teenage son when he tried to intervene in the fight . Her former brother-in-law claims that allegations of years of abuse are all a lie and says he has text messages proving the slaying was in cold blood . Crespo faces up to 21 years in state prison if convicted .
Widow of slain Bell Gardens mayor Lyvette Crespo pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $ 150,000 bond . The 43-year-old told authorities it was in self-defense after her husband punched their teenage son when he tried to intervene in the fight . Her former brother-in-law claims that allegations of years of abuse are all a lie and says he has text messages proving the slaying was in cold blood . Crespo faces up to 21 years in state prison if convicted .