New York Police Psychologist Indicted in Sleeping Husband's 2013 Shooting

— -- A psychologist with the New York City Police Department has been indicted on a charge of attempted murder, accused of shooting her husband in the head as he lay sleeping in their bedroom.

In addition to attempted murder, a Westchester County grand jury charged Emily Dearden, 46, of Yonkers, with assault and five weapons charges in the November 2013 shooting of Kenneth Dearden, a wealthy real estate developer.

Her arraignment is scheduled for May 14, the district attorney's office said Thursday. If convicted, she could be sentenced to as many as 25 years in prison. She has not yet entered a plea.

Her husband alleges that Emily Dearden was having an extramarital affair and took drastic action to end her marriage.

Her lawyers say an intruder actually was the person who pulled the trigger. They contend that the case against her is weak and are confident she will be acquitted.

“With every fiber of her body and every resource she has, she’s going to fight these baseless charges,” said her lawyer, Paul Bergman.

Kenneth Dearden survived the shooting but has endured three surgeries.

At first, he stood by his wife, believing her claims that an intruder shot him and knocked her out. But in a civil lawsuit he later filed against her, he said that police noted skepticism about her story because they found no forced entry, the home’s alarm did not sound, and the family’s Rottweiler did not react.

He also stated in the lawsuit that the caliber of the bullet that hit him was consistent with the caliber of a bullet for a Derringer pistol owned by his wife.

Emily Dearden was arrested in November, when she was suspended with pay from her job with the NYPD, where she screened potential police recruits.

According to Kenneth Dearden’s lawsuit, his wife had been having an affair since 2011, and her partner pressured her to end her marriage so they could “be together” and “avoid a contentious divorce.”

Emily Dearden posted $150,000 bail in November and, according to her lawyers, she sees the couple’s children regularly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.