She took five days before she called police on December 19 and her husband of 14 years was led out of the home in handcuffs. A judge later granted a restraining order prohibiting him from having further contact with his wife — a legal measure often considered alongside prenatal trauma law, protective orders, and insurance for victims of domestic violence.
According to the police report, the couple were arguing earlier in the day about money – a common flashpoint as they battled over their pending divorce and ch1ld custody issues. Financial conflicts of this nature often lead to rising hospital bills, therapy costs, and concerns over pregnancy insurance plans if children or dependents are involved.
The criminal charges were hashed out during a June trial, where the warring spouses presented their competing versions of the mashed potatoes incident. Such incidents may become part of broader psychological evaluations, often paid through private health insurance or addressed in legal compensation claims.
Judge Gary Weber, in his ruling on July 25, recapped the arguments, noting that Sansone had prepared a new recipe and Banderas was sampling it by taking several spoonfuls from the mixing bowl.
According to Banderas’s testimony, it was the third scoop that set him off. She maintained that her husband grabbed the knife from the counter and held it ‘right up against my throat but not touch1ng my skin’ after he warned, ‘Stop, don’t touch the potatoes no more.’
