Manitoba's 1st televised trial

Photo: Contributed

Cameras line up in Winnipeg on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 to hear Manitoba judges announce a pilot project to allow cameras in courtrooms. (Chinta Puxley / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A Manitoba woman has been found not guilty of killing her husband in the province's first-ever televised criminal proceeding.

While historic, the live-streamed verdict in the Cassandra Knott case was low-key.

A lone television camera was allowed to record only the judge as he read his verdict and a summary of his 52-page decision.

Knott, Crown and defence lawyers were never shown.

Justice Shane Perlmutter of Court of Queen's Bench ruled Knott had long suffered abuse at the hands of her husband, and feared for her safety when she stabbed him in the chest in her home on Feb. 18, 2011.

Knott was acquitted of second-degree murder.

Perlmutter read from his judgment for more than 45 minutes, looking up frequently to the camera that was placed off in a corner of the large room.

The judge then ordered the camera turned off.

Knott wept openly and hugged her lawyer.