MURDER CHARGES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 181, 15 May 1945, Page 5

MURDER CHARGES

DEATH OF MAN IN WELLINGTON. TRIAL OF WIFE BEGINS. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 14. The trial of Lena Rosita Bernard, a domestic, aged 35, on a charge of murdering her husband, Maurice Bernard, with a.carving knife, at a house in Marion Street, on February 5, began in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Finlay. In his address for the Crown Mr W. H. Cunningham said that on the evidence which the Crown had the question of self-defence did not appear to raise at all, and the jury would probably conclude that they had to consider whether the killing of Bernard was murder or manslaughter. Neighbours would say that the accused and her husband had occasional tiffs, but apparently got along fairly well together otherwise. On two occasions about Christmas time the accused stayed out all night, and Bernard had been worried. On Thursday, February I, he discovered her in a basement flat in Tasman Street with a man named Gordon, with whom she appeared to have been more than friendly for some years. TRAGEDY AT WANGANUI. (P.A. ) WANGANUI, May 14. The trial was begun in the Supreme Court to-day of Jack Burman Barns, aged 37, a labourer, on a. charge of murder. The Crown alleges that the accused fired a .303 rifle and killed John Severin Berensten, aged 46, a traveller, on April 3. Mr N. R. Bain (Crown Prosecutor at Wanganui), opening the case for the Crown, said it was alleged that the accused and a man named Charles Edward Pram went to the Masonic Hotel about 11 a.m. on April 3, and while they were there Berensten entered the bar, eventually joining accused and Pram. “Apparently Berensten made reference to Evans of the Broke,” said Mr Bain, “and said he knew his sister. Berensten also referred to China. Apparently the accused did not believe his statements, and Berentsen apparently told the accused he was ignorant.” Evidence would show that when they went away in accused’s car later in the day they apepared to be on. friendly terms. The Crown alleged that on arrival at a house in Hardy Street, where the accused lived, accused got out of the car, went inside and got a .303 rifle. Evidence would be called to show that there was the sound of a. shot, and that Berentsen subsequently had been found with a wound in the abdomen from which he died.