I killed a rapist before he could murder me and my brother – then I was sentenced to 20 years in PRISON over his death

A WOMAN killed a rapist before he could murder her and her brother – she was then sentenced to 20 years in prison over his death.

Brittany Smith, 34, pleaded guilty to murder after fatally shooting Todd Smith, who was 38 at the time, back in January 16, 2018.

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Todd Smith was shot three times[/caption]

She was slapped with a 20-year sentence but ultimately served 18 months in an Alabama jail.

Smith claimed Todd brutally attacked and raped her in her own home.

Now, the former jailbird insists she only killed him to stop her and her brother from being murdered after he callously choked her until she lost consciousness, raped her and threatened to kill her and her brother.

Smith’s harrowing case is now the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary.

State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith – due out November 10 – is expected to shed light on the controversial case, which captured worldwide attention at the time.

The Alabama mum tells her interviewer: “I was arrested for murder, the man was in my home. I did what I thought I had to do because if I wouldn’t have, my brother and I would both be dead.

“I want to get my children back. I want them to know that mommy’s not a murderer and that mommy defended herself – and that you should always defend yourself.”

Her mother, Ramona McCallie, said: “She was raped and beaten by him and almost killed, and now, she’s been raped and beaten by the system.

“She never should have been [taken] to jail. I taught her to fight, fight back, with everything you’ve got. And she did.”

Smith told the court during her trial that she knew Todd as a teen and reconnected with him right before his death.

When she found out Todd, who was breeding dogs at the time, was homeless, she let him into the family home.

Brittany claims she was then raped twice, strangled and beaten unconscious by Todd — who was high on meth — at her home in Stevenson, Alabama.

She says she managed to tell her brother Chris McCallie, who confronted the alleged rapist.

But raging Todd got Chris in a chokehold and was threatening to kill them both when she opened fire.

She said she shot him twice, but he kept choking Chris until the third bullet struck.

A sex assault nurse found more than 30 wounds — including bruises, bite marks and signs of strangulation — on Brittany’s body after the fatal shooting.

But within 48 hours she was charged with murder and spent four months in jail and another six in a psychiatric institution.

At a Stand Your Ground hearing last month, lawyers tried to dismiss the charge arguing she fired to protect herself and her brother.

Alabama’s law allows citizens to use lethal force against someone they believe threatens their safety while committing a burglary.

Lawyers argued that applied to Todd because he refused to leave Brittany’s home, reports AL.com.

But Judge Jenifer Holt ruled she was standing between Todd and the door when she fired, giving him no way out.

And she said the defendant was not entitled to the defense because it was Chris who brought the gun and “initiated” the confrontation.

Smith later said she pleaded guilt because it was “the lesser of two evils”, according to Alabama.com.

She was released 18 months later and received credit for time spent in prison while awaiting trial.

Court records showed Todd had a disturbing history of violent crimes and domestic assaults committed spanning several decades.

He had been jailed 71 times, including for assaulting his ex wife and and partners.