A 54-year-old Coon Rapids woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court to third-degree murder in the death of her ex-husband, to whom she had illegally provided morphine.

Denise Rochelle Hart was immediately sentenced to 10 years' probation with one year of home confinement with electronic monitoring in the August 2012 death of Robert Hart, 59, according to County Attorney Mike Freeman.

Hennepin County District Judge Daniel Mabley also issued her a fine, ordered her to continue drug treatment and subjected her to random drug testing.

Hart told authorities that her ex-husband came to her home on Aug. 19, 2012, because he had injured his back at work and knew she had prescription painkillers at the house. She said he asked her for some to ease his pain, and she gave him what she thought was methadone.

Robert Hart drove to his brother's home in Brooklyn Park and took the drug. He died the next morning. An investigation found that she had given him morphine, which he could not safely take because he was a diabetic.

"This case teaches us once again, do not give your leftover prescription drugs to others," Freeman said in a news release. "Sometimes it just makes them sick, but sometimes they die."

PAMELA MILLER