I firmly believe there are two sides to every story. I guess she may have not been thinking. But in lieu of her actions she did kill someone. Also as for the fact she got the maximum of 8 years, from my understanding, a fist time of serving jail time you do 15% of the mandated sentance. So if she got 8 years, then she will do approximately 2 months on every year she got and will do a year and a half approximately. She will then come out on parole.
It is sad story of addiction and codism.