Beauty queen acquitted of murder moving on with life

<p>Sharon Nicole Redmond knows she'll always carry the title as the last Miss Savannah. But she's doing her best to move on from the ordeal that made her title world-famous _ murder charges that she fatally shot her two-timing fiance'.</p><p>Four months after taking the beauty pageant title in 2003, Redmond was charged with shooting and killing Kevin Shorter during an argument in the yard of another woman.</p><p>A jury in 2005 acquitted her of the charges, saying they believed she acted in self-defense.</p><p>Now, Redmond _ who goes by Nikki _ lives in the Atlanta area. She graduated summa cum laude from Spelman College in 2003 and earned a master's degree in education at Kennesaw State University last month.</p><p>She's working for an Atlanta education group that helps private school teachers develop lesson plans.</p><p>Last October, she married the high school sweetheart who stood beside her during her trial.</p><p>"He was extremely supportive, wrote me and called me every day and night," she said.</p><p>She said she hopes to one day open a private school that would teach black students about their history and culture. She continues to sing, perform and write songs.</p><p>"It keeps me living and breathing," she said.</p><p>Redmond, who was 21 years old when she began dating her ex-fiance Shorter, said he began to show a different side a few months into their relationship.</p><p>Shorter would slap, grab and kick her, sometimes leaving bruises, according to court documents. He was also verbally abusive and would follow her around.</p><p>The two were engaged for about three months when Redmond discovered Shorter also was engaged to another woman.</p><p>On Dec. 16, 2003, all three were arguing in that woman's yard.</p><p>Redmond admitted shooting Shorter, but said the bullet was intended as a warning shot which ricocheted off Shorter's car and hit him.</p><p>Jurors said they believed Shorter had a gun, although police never found one.</p><p>Shorter's parents have filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against her. She responded with a $2 million countersuit, saying she was in fear for her life and suffered mental and physical abuse by Shorter.</p><p>Redmond said the incident has given her a "deeper outlook" on life and taught her to trust her instincts about people.</p><p>"You have to make your obstacles into your pedestals," she said.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2dec098)</p>