Cynthia Shackelford Sues Husband's Mistress, Wins $9Million

ABCNews.com:

A North Carolina woman who won $9 million in a lawsuit against her husband's alleged mistress has a simple message for would-be homewreckers out there: "lay off."

"My main message is to all those women out there who might have their eyes on some guy that is married to not come between anybody," Cynthia Shackelford told "Good Morning America" today. "It's not good to go in there. It hurts the children. My children are devastated. I'm devastated.

"Allan [Shackelford's husband] and I joked about sitting in rocking chairs and having a glass of wine or whatever and talking about what our children did when they were little. That's never going to happen now."

Shackelford's story could have been no different than that of any other aggrieved wife: The 60-year-old thought her husband Allan was deeply in love with her. Then came his late nights at the office and suspicious charges on his credit card and cell phone bills. And finally, a private investigator confirmed what she had feared: Her husband, she said, was having an affair.

But Shackelford's story has a $9 million twist. Under centuries-old North Carolina case law, Shackelford sued her husband's alleged mistress, Anne Lundquist, for "alienation of affection," charging that the woman broke up her 33-year marriage.

Last week, Shackelford won. A jury awarded her $5 million in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages to be paid by Lundquist.

Good for Cynthia Shackelford. Too often these slutty mistresses find it all-too-convenient to use the "well, I wasn't the one who was married" excuse for their immoral behavior. Now here's a loud warning for would-be homewreckers out there to leave married people alone.