reporter: if cindy could satisfy this judge that she had to use lethal force to protect herself from ilan nissimd walk away free as a bird. if she couldn't, she'd go on trial for murder. watching in the gallery, nissim's girlfriend, neketa roberts, and their daughter, imani. >> are there any witnesses the defense needs to call at this time? >> reporter: cindy would be the first, telling the judge that, yes indeed, a tape would tell the story of what happened. but not the undercover dea tape. that was nonsense, she said. the true tape, the one that told the honest story of what she went through that day back in 2008, was her recorded 911 call. after she shot nissim. >> oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. >> reporter: that was the true cindy, the defense said, tearing out of the house, hysterical, panic-stricken, telling the operator she was sure he was going shoot her. >> i thought he was gonna fire at me. so i fired and then i run. i -- i panicked, i panicked, please help me. >> reporter: sitting here on the witness stand, cindy swore her story was the same now as the one she told the cops from the