NASHUA – A woman who tried to bribe and intimidate a victim from testifying against her rapist husband received a suspended jail sentence Wednesday in a plea deal the judge called “very, very lenient” but accepted, in part, because it had the victim’s blessing.

Karen Weems, 42, of Dover, was charged with her husband, Clifford Weems, 55, formerly of 33 Indian Rock Road, with trying to persuade a 16-year-old rape victim from testifying.

Clifford Weems was sentenced last year to serve at least nine years in prison on felony sexual assault and witness tampering charges.

Karen Weems received a 12-month suspended sentence Wednesday and agreed to donate $1,000 to charity when she pleaded guilty in Hillsborough County Superior Court to hindering apprehension, a Class A misdemeanor. As part of the deal, the county attorney’s office agreed not to prosecute Weems on the more serious witness tampering charge as long as she stays out of trouble, has no contact with the victim and undergoes a mental health evaluation.

The victim was in court and read a brief letter that said in part she now lives out of state and is trying to put her life back together. She supported the suspended sentence, one factor that convinced Judge Jackie Colburn to accept the plea deal.

The other factor, Colburn said, was that Weems agreed to receive a mental health evaluation.

Weems had served 122 days in jail. “The victim is on board” with the deal, which doesn’t sentence Weems to additional time behind bars, said Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Leslie M. Gill.

“That makes a very big difference to me, because I think this is a very, very lenient result,” Colburn said.

The case has been a difficult one for all people involved, said Weems’ attorney, Thomas Ficarra.

Colburn concurred.

“I’ve been troubled by this case from day one, as have other folks,” Colburn said.

Colburn said she hopes Weems gets any help that the evaluation determines she needs.

“Your actions in this were outrageous. I don’t know if there’s a better word,” Colburn said.

Throughout the sentencing hearing, Weems spoke barely above a whisper and made no eye contact with Colburn, prompting the judge to repeatedly ask Weems and her attorney if she understood the proceedings.

Ficarra said his client was extremely nervous, partly because she has no criminal record and no prior experience dealing with the criminal justice system, and partly because the victim was in court.

Weems and her husband gave the victim $100,000 and opened a bank account in her name in hopes that she would recant the rape allegations, according to court records. Just hours after Karen Weems was bailed on a felony witness tampering charge last September, she tried again to contact the victim, landing her back in jail.

Gill said the victim felt “intimidated” by Karen Weems’ actions.

When Clifford Weems was sentenced last December, he received a series of consecutive prison terms adding up to nine to 20 years, meaning he would become eligible for parole after nine years but could remain imprisoned for as long as 20 years.

An additional 10- to 20-year term will remain suspended for 10 years after his release.

Patrick Meighan can be reached at 594-6518 or pmeighan@nashuatelegraph.com.