Courtroom Turns Into Chaos After Furious Mom Confronts Child Molester

In 1993, Ellie Nesler walked into a California courtroom and fatally shot Daniel Mark Driver, the man accused of molesting her six-year-old son, Willie. Driver had a long history of abusing children and had previously avoided serious punishment, which left Nesler terrified the system would fail her son.

Overcome with anger and grief, she shot Driver five times during his hearing and was arrested on the spot. Nesler later admitted she had thought about killing him for years. She was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served just over three years of a 10-year sentence, partly due to health problems — she was battling breast cancer.

The case divided the public: many saw her as a protective mother seeking justice, while others believed she took the law into her own hands. Later, public support dipped after it was revealed she had been on meth during the shooting and had a criminal past.

Ellie Nesler died in 2008.