PHILIPSBURG–Jealousy and despair drove a 37-year-old resident of Dutch Quarter to stab her former lover with a knife on May 3. For this crime, the woman was irrevocably convicted to a suspended prison sentence of one month, on two years’ probation, and forty hours of community service.
Latoya Leison Morgan was charged with having inflicted severe bodily injury by stabbing her former partner and father of their little baby with a knife.
“I am not wicked,” the woman told the judge on Wednesday. “I was shocked when I saw the blood. I came out of the car to help him. I had tried to ward him off after he had punched me in the face.”
After stabbing her ex in his arm, the woman had rushed from the scene. Shortly afterward she was involved in a traffic accident on Bishop Hill Road.
The woman and her former partner provided differing statements to the police. The woman claimed her ex did not pay child support and said she had to scramble for money all the time. She also said he had mistreated her often. “We always have fights because he drinks,” she told the Court.
The man stated to the police that she was harassing him all the time at his home and on the job. According to him, the suspect could not stand it that he was with another woman. Having sex with her was the only way to keep her calm for a while, he had told investigators.
The Prosecutor considered the case proven, as the defendant had taken three knives with her in the car, one of which she had used to the stab her victim. For this crime, the Prosecutor called for one month suspended, on two years’ probation, with 80 hours of community service and Parole Board supervision.
Attorney-at-law Geert Hatzmann told the sad story of a “toxic” relationship between two persons and objected to the fact that the man in this relationship was portrayed as the victim, whereas he had threatened his client.
In pleading self-defence, the lawyer said his client was the victim of severe trauma in connection with the violent death of a child from a previous relationship, who had been murdered several years ago. He said her ex-partner knew about the trauma. His client was desperate and entitled to defend herself against a violent man, Hatzmann claimed.
In sentencing, the Court said the suspect and her former partner were in a relationship that had gone bad, which had resulted in violence from both sides.
The judge did not find self-defence proven, but did not send the woman to prison. He said the defendant needed to work on her own future and that of her child in cooperation with the Probation Office, which may include psychological assistance.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91777-woman-sentenced-for-attacking-ex-with-knife
View comments
Hide comments