The Burning Bed
Faith McNulty
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1977 · Michigan, United States
Francine Hughes
The story behind The Burning Bed
After years of domestic violence, Francine Hughes set fire to the bed where her former husband, James Hughes, was sleeping in their Michigan home. She took her children out of the house and surrendered to police. Her 1977 trial ended in an acquittal by reason of temporary insanity and drew national attention to battered women’s experiences.
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The Story
When1977
WhereMichigan, United States
In this collection28 resources
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The Burning Bed
1984 · starring Farrah Fawcett
A dramatized interpretation; compare it with the reporting.
Morbidology — Francine Hughes (Episode 311)
Spotify
An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
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Where are they now?
1 itemsAbout these sources
Dated updates, not live custody records. Check the source date before treating information as current.
The Washington Post · March 31, 2017
Francine Hughes Wilson — died in 2017
Francine Hughes Wilson died on March 22, 2017, aged 69.
Entry updated:
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Nicknames & media names
No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.
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Family Tree
The family relationships behind the story, gathered in one place.
Selected relationships only—not a complete genealogy. A family connection does not imply involvement in a crime.
FAMILY SNAPSHOT
Francine Hughes
Children
- James Hughes
Spouse / Former Spouse
- James “Mickey” Hughes
Mickey was Francine’s former husband. Only the son interviewed in this documentary is shown; Francine had other children.
Sources & Further Reading
About These Family Trees
These original diagrams summarize relationships reported by the linked sources. Community genealogy sites can contain errors and are not proof of identity or parentage. Full trees or record images may require an account. We omit speculative relationships, private contact details and unrelated living descendants.
Sources reviewed September 15, 2026. Suggest a sourced correction.
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Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Cuppa Crime
The Burning Bed: The story of Francine Hughes
A blog account of Hughes’s story and the events behind The Burning Bed.
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Books
CONTINUE YOUR READING
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Books
1 itemsFaith McNulty
The Burning Bed
A nonfiction account of this case. See the linked edition for publication details and available formats.
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Movies & TV
Movies
1 itemsAbout these sources
Watch links, previews and title listings are identified below. Rentals or subscriptions may be required.
1984 · starring Farrah Fawcett
The Burning Bed
A dramatized screen interpretation of this case. Compare it with the nonfiction account; characters, dialogue, and chronology may differ. Check the listing for regional availability.
Fiction / DramatizationAccess Varies · Check Source
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View on Amazon · paid linkViewing options & film details
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TV & documentaries
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Audiobooks
An audiobook edition has not been confirmed for this case yet. You can check the audiobook catalog or explore the case’s podcasts.
Check Audio Formats For This Book
These books are in this case’s collection. An audiobook version has not been verified for the listings below.
The Burning Bed
Search Audiobook Editions · paid linkFaith McNulty
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
1984 · starring Farrah Fawcett
The Burning Bed
A dramatized screen interpretation of this case. Compare it with the nonfiction account; characters, dialogue, and chronology may differ. Check the listing for regional availability.
Fiction / DramatizationAccess Varies · Check Source
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View on Amazon · paid linkViewing options & film details
DVD · Check current price and availability on Amazon.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Spotify
Morbidology — Francine Hughes (Episode 311)
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Francine Hughes: The Burning Bed
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released October 8, 2024. About 40 minutes.
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Once Upon A Crime
S1 Ep19: True Crime Game Changers: Francine Hughes and The Burning Bed
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released November 17, 2016. About 73 minutes.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
The Burning Bed: Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released October 7, 2025. About 58 minutes.
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Morbidology
311: Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released June 2, 2025. About 45 minutes.
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Criminal Curiosity
49. The Case of Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released October 19, 2023. About 20 minutes.
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Show 9 more podcasts
Murder Minute
Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released January 22, 2020. About 32 minutes.
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Hard Times and True Crimes
53. The Burning Bed: The Story of Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released March 27, 2024. About 33 minutes.
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MBP (Murder, Blood, & Psychopaths)
Episode 9- The Burning Bed. Francine Hughes P1
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released August 31, 2022. About 36 minutes.
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Malice in the Mitten
S3 E7 - Francine Hughes - The Burning Bed
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released August 19, 2024. About 45 minutes.
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Malice in the Mitten
S4 E8 - Round Robin Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released October 29, 2024. About 38 minutes.
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Deadly Devotion
13- Beyond the Verdict: The Story of Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released August 7, 2026. About 23 minutes.
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MBP (Murder, Blood, & Psychopaths)
Episode 11- The Burning Bed Francine Hughes part 3
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released September 12, 2022. About 67 minutes.
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Mombies
80 - Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released February 7, 2024. About 63 minutes.
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Call Us When You're Dead
Francine Hughes
Podcast coverage of the Francine Hughes case. Released June 14, 2023. About 29 minutes.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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Talk about sources and storytelling with care for the people affected. A documentary, a book and a court record serve different purposes.
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
2 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
Open Library · Catalog / Availability
The burning bed by Faith McNulty
Bibliographic record for related reading. Check the edition page for previews, lending and other access options; full text has not been confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
The Burning Bed — Faith McNulty
A book-length account of Francine Hughes and the domestic abuse preceding the killing of her husband. Edition record; available pages vary by region and edition.
View Catalog & Access Options ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
3 itemsWKAR Public Media · March 30, 2017
Looking back at the Burning Bed case
An interview with the defense attorney about Francine Hughes’s case and its history.
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The Washington Post
Newspaper coverage: The Burning Bed
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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A&E Crime + Investigation · Adam Janos
Francine Hughes and the debate over abuse defenses
A comparative article includes the Hughes case and The Burning Bed, examining domestic abuse and the temporary-insanity defense. Also discusses separate cases; it is not a statement of one uniform legal rule.
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Newspaper clippings
1 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Daily Item · 1984-10-12 · Page 9
The Burning Bed prompts calls to abuse services
Local counseling and shelter services reported increased calls after The Burning Bed aired. This contemporary article shows how the television adaptation of Francine Hughes’s story encouraged discussion of domestic abuse and requests for help.
Historical reporting about the broadcast’s impact; the clipping also includes neighboring local news.
Newspaper ReportingAccess Varies · Check Source
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Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comKeep following the newspaper trail.
Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.
Explore more on Newspapers.comNewspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.
Internet Archive
2 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · Library record · 1980
The burning bed
McNulty, Faith. A library catalog record for a book connected with Francine Hughes. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
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Internet Archive · Preserved web page
3MAT-7SWR: "The Burning Bed": A turning point in fight aga...
A preserved web reference related to Francine Hughes. This is a historical capture, so later reporting may differ; access to the captured page can vary.
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
3 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Once Upon A Crime | True Crime
Episode 019: True Crime Game Changers: Francine Hughes and The Burning Bed
Video from Once Upon A Crime | True Crime covering the Francine Hughes case. Length: 1:13:17.
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Dan Brown Legal Books
Michigan v Francine Hughes
Video from Dan Brown Legal Books covering the Francine Hughes case. Length: 2:27.
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The New Yorker
How a Murder Case Brought Domestic Violence to Light | The New Yorker
Video from The New Yorker covering the Francine Hughes case. Length: 19:02.
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