A Dorchester woman who stabbed her "abusive boyfriend to death this summer was acting in self-defense and will not face criminal charges," according to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.

Emmanuel Jeudi died inside a Washington Street apartment on July 31 when the 26 year-old woman— whom Conley's office will not name publicly— stabbed him once in the chest. The incident happened after the woman repeatedly called 911 to report that her boyfriend— Jeudi— was assaulting her.

"She retrieved a kitchen knife and held it out to ward him off. It was then that Jeudi charged at her and suffered his fatal injury," Conley's office reports.

A full investigation, Conley said, found that the woman "acted reasonably and lawfully to defend herself."

"The use of lethal force in self-defense can be prosecuted in some circumstances, but criminal charges were not appropriate given these facts," Conley said in a statement. "There was no evidence of excessive force, premeditation, or malice. This was a case of a domestic violence victim protecting herself against serious injury or worse at the hands of her abuser inside her own home."

Jeudi was about seven inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier than the woman.

Conley said the victims of any crime, including domestic violence, should call 911 in an emergency. SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24 hours a day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages. The GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project Hotline can be reached at 1-800-832-1901 and is also available around the clock.

"If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, then please don't hesitate to ask for help," Conley said. "Your safety is more important than anything else, and there's a broad array of law enforcement and social services available to you."