Woman tells court about husband's threat after Omaha slaying

A woman has testified that her husband warned her not to tell anyone about his role in a July 2018 Omaha robbery and slaying.

August 22, 2019Updated: August 22, 2019
News Channel NebraskaBy News Channel Nebraska

OMAHA - A woman has testified that her husband warned her not to tell anyone about his role in a July 2018 Omaha robbery and slaying.

Vanessa Figures said in an Omaha courtroom Wednesday that Phillip Figures had told her about what happened and a few days later looked at her and said "Don't make me kill you, Vanessa".

39-year-old Phillip Figures is charged with first-degree murder and two related crimes in the killing of 57-year-old Frederick Green. Prosecutors say another man with Figures actually shot Green, but there isn't enough evidence to charge him.

Figures' attorney tried to stop Figures' now former wife from testifying, citing spousal privilege. But Nebraska law says that privilege can't be invoked in cases of confessions to violent crimes.

She testified for six hours about what he had told her.

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