WIFE ON TRIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1941, Page 7

WIFE ON TRIAL

ALLEGED MURDER

PLEA OF SELF-DEFENCE

HUSBAND'S CONDUCT

The argument that Jean Lauren tine, aged 31. who is standing her trial in the Supreme Court on a charge of murdering her husband, Francis Norman Laurentine, a waterside worker, aged 36, on November 2, acted in selfdefence, was put forward yesterday afternoon, when the case for the defence was opened. Laurentine died in hospital from stab wounds after he had been taken from a house in Willis Street. Mr. Justice Johnston is presiding Mr. C H. Weston, K.C., witb him Mr. W. R. Birks, is appearing for the Crown, and Dr. O. C Mazengarb, with j him Mr. N. T. Gillespie, for the j accused. I Dr. Mazengarb, addressing the jury, said the defence put forward three things: grave and extreme provocation, doing an act in selfdefence, and an accidental, unintended, ana undesired result from doing that act in self-defence. Apart from the motives put forward by the Crown Prosecutor as inspiring a killing—fear, -evenge, jealousy, angerthere was the very strong impulse oi self-protection. PROTECTING HERSELF. It was submitted that the accused was protecting herself, or trying tc protect herself, from a sudden, unpro yoked, and undeserved assault. In cases where there was provocation and where a defence of attempting to defend oneself was put forward, coun sel were obliged to go into the historj of the parties' domestic circumstances The defence not merely accepted, but relied upon, almost the whole of the evidence that had been called by the Crown. It was true that Laurentine drank, true that he abused her, and true that he spent the money he earned and the money she earned, but her attitude all the time had been that she had mar ried him for better or worse. From time to time she forgave him—there were always the same promises to mend his ways and requests for her to give him another chance. From time to time Laurentine struck the accused and he hit her hardthere were occasions when she could not go to work because of the marks on her face. On numerous occasions she nursed him back to health after a drinking bout. Half of her wages went in rent and the other half in food, while her husband's £6 or £7 went in drink. They moved their home into larger quarters and they were happier again, but unfortunately Laurentine started off once more. He

loved her, and was always remorseful after bhis bouts. DAK OF TRAGEDY. Counsel described the week of the tragedy. Laurentine drank heavily all day on the fatal Saturday at the trots, and when he was coming home he was angry. At the flat the accused started to get the tea. Laurentine was outside playing with the neighbour's child and the accused called him into the kitchen. He at once started to abuse her, using horrible expressions. She asked him to moderate his language, saying that the neighbours might believe what he was saying. Laurentine said, "You are always moaning and groaning," and gave her a blow. She fell, and as she rose again he gave her another blow- She was dazed and did not know how many seconds she was. on the floor. She put her hand on tlie bench to help her rise, and there happened to be the knife there. No thought to injure her husband was in her mind. He was standing over her, waiting to hit her again; she could not retreat, and as she rose she took the knife and pushed it from her. What happened then she could not say. She was in a daze, and what she picked up she did not know—it might have been the fryingpan or anything. She did not know whether she touched him once or twice. It was all over in a second or two, and when she realised what had happened she made frantic efforts to help her husband. After several witnesses had given evidence, for the accused the Court adjourned until today.