Appendix: Case Summaries The names of defendants are pseudonyms. Female defendants Cathy The defendant, a 72-year-old woman, was charged with the murder of her 78- year-old-husband to whom she had been married for 43 years. There was no indication of ill-treatment by one upon the other during the course of their relationship. The defendant had suffered from neurotic depression throughout her life. She had also had surgery for her haemorrhoids, which resulted in con- siderable discomfort and pain. She attended a Pain Clinic and was also being visited regularly by a community psychiatric nurse because of her medical and mental condition. The defendant had attempted suicide once. She tried to kill herself again after she had stabbed her husband in the neck and chest. She claimed that she was attempting to relieve pressure on her husband who not only had his own health problems to worry about, but also had to cope with the defendant's depression. A plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted by the courts and the defendant was committed under section 6(2) of the Mental Health Act. Connie The defendant, a typist/computer operator, and the deceased, a semi-skilled assembler with numerous previous convictions, had been in a common-law relationship at the time of the homicide. The defendant and deceased were regarded as heavy weekend drinkers who had a fiery relationship. The defendant had been battered in her first marriage. In her relationship with the deceased, he would occasionally hit her; however, he was violent only when drunk. Following a night of drinking, a row occurred over an alleged affair the deceased accused the defendant of having with his best friend. The deceased slapped the defendant's face as she was preparing supper. In an attempt to push him away whilst holding a knife, she unintentionally stabbed him. Her plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation was accepted by the Prosecution who did not believe the defendant had the intent to kill. She was sentenced to two years' imprison- ment, 18 months suspended to serve six months. Emma The defendant had no previous convictions against her, and held a job as a cleaner at the time of the offence. She was married to the deceased at the time of the murder and stabbed her husband with a knife after a heavy drinking session at their home. Both were known to drink heavily, and it was during one of their many arguments that the defendant unintentionally killed her husband. 196 Appendix: Case Summaries 197 The victim was known to have a violent temper and had problems controlling it when he was intoxicated. The defendant denied to the police that her husband had been violent towards her, although she had in the past shown neighbours injuries inflicted on her by the deceased. A plea of guilty to manslaughter was made on the grounds of provocation and self-defence. Having been found guilty of manslaughter, the defendant was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment suspended for two years. Gail The defendant, a retired 68-year-old woman, killed her husband of 12 years by stabbing him with a knife. They quarrelled often, particularly after a drinking session, although the use of physical violence by the deceased on the defendant was rare. Their relationship was not one characteristic of alcohol abuse combined with violence, although they did have a stormy relationship. During an argument between the defendant and deceased when the deceased had been drinking, the defendant lost her temper after being goaded by the deceased and she stabbed him. Psychiatric examination of the defendant found her to be suffering from depression and anxiety. Her plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted and the defendant was sentenced to three years' probation with outpatient treatment. Gena Following a domestic dispute over another woman which started at night and continued into the next day, the defendant stabbed the deceased with a carving knife whilst she was preparing Sunday lunch. Both the defendant and deceased had been drinking excessively the night before. They had lived together for seven years in a common-law relationship which had been described as turbulent. The defendant was unaware of the severity of the stab wound and continued to prepare lunch. The defendant denied any intentions of killing the deceased, and both the Prosecution and Judge saw no premeditation in the defendant's actions. Her plea of guilty to manslaughter on the basis of no intent to kill was accepted by the court, and the defendant was sentenced to two years' probation. Grace The defendant had stabbed her husband with a knife in their family home when he taunted her about his infidelity. The defendant, who worked in a greengrocer's stall, had idolised the deceased and considered him the centre of her life. They had been married for over 20 years and the marriage had been normal until a year prior to the homicide. The deceased, who had been previously convicted of violent offences, was known to have a violent side and had physically abused the defendant in the past. The deceased decided to leave the defendant to have an affair with another woman for several months, which deeply hurt the defendant. When he returned to the family home, the deceased continued to taunt the defendant about the other woman, and a couple of months later, he declared that he was still in love with his mistress. An argument between the deceased and defendant occurred one night after the deceased had been on a heavy drinking session. The defendant claimed that the deceased had taunted her again and he 198 Appendix: Case Summaries had also verbally and physically abused her. A plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation was submitted by the defence and accepted by the Prosecution. The defendant was sentenced to two years' imprisonment sus- pended for two years with a supervision order. Gwen The defendant had strangled her husband with the aid of two cords in their family home and then attempted to commit suicide. The defendant was a part- time bank clerk with no previous convictions. She had been in a relationship with the deceased for just over ten years. The deceased had been married once before. The defendant's relationship with the deceased was not an argumentative or violent one. During the period that the defendant's sister was living with them, the defendant suspected that the deceased was having an affair with her sister. This defendant's sister was subsequently evicted and the relationship between the defendant and deceased declined. In an argument over the decea- sed's alleged affair, the defendant stated that the deceased tried to strangle her. At this point, according to police records, the defendant most likely strangled the deceased and then dragged him downstairs to simulate his suicide. The defendant was unable to recall the events leading up to the murder and she denied responsibility for her husband's death. The defendant made a plea of not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provoca- tion and her plea was accepted by the court. She was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Helen The defendant and deceased had been married for 25 years when the defendant stabbed her husband in the chest after a session of drinking and arguing. Their marriage had been regarded as a turbulent one, characterised by occasional violence inflicted on the defendant by the deceased. The deceased was an alco- holic and had been hospitalised for detoxification. The violence inflicted on the defendant was well documented and the defendant has sought refuge from the deceased through various self-help groups on several occasions. At the time of the homicide, the deceased, in a drunken state, attacked the defendant causing her to defend herself by stabbing him. Her plea of guilty to manslaughter on the basis of no intent was accepted by both the Prosecution and the trial judge. The defend- ant was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years with a two-year supervision order. Joan The defendant, a 35-year-old shop assistant, had been married to the victim for over 15 years at the time of the offence. The defendant had previously been convicted for theft. The victim was known to have a violent temper, physically abusing the defendant ever since their relationship began. Strong evidence had been provided by eye witnesses testifying to the violence inflicted on the defend- ant. During an argument where the victim attacked the defendant twice one evening, the defendant stabbed her husband to stop him from strangling her. The defendant pleaded not guilty to murder on the grounds of self-defence and her plea was accepted by both the Prosecution and the court. Appendix: Case Summaries 199 Jean The defendant, a housewife, was charged with the murder of her husband which took place two and a half years before her arrest. The discovery of the murder was made when her present husband confessed to the police to murdering the deceased. The defendant then admitted that it was she who had killed him and subsequently buried his body. The relationship between the defendant and deceased had been an abusive one, whereby the deceased indulged in heavy drinking. He had been verbally, physically and sexually abusive towards the defendant during their rela- tionship. The defendant claimed that she lived in constant fear of physical viol- ence, and the deceased would not allow her to obtain medical help after an assault.