WOMAN'S TRIAL

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1940, Page 8

WOMAN'S TRIAL

CHARGE OF MURDER Stabbing of Husband [Per Press Association] WELLINGTON, December 4. Jean Laurentine, 31, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with the murder of her husband, Francis Norman Laurentine 37, watersider, by stabbing him on November 2. He was taken about 7.30 p.m. from the flat they occupied in Willis Street, suffering from knife wounds, and he died in hospital at 8.50 p.m. Mr Stout, S.M., was on the Bench. The ActingCrown Prosecutor, Mr W. R. Birks, conducted the prosecution. Dr. Mazengarb and Mr N. T. Gillespie appeared for the defence. Photographs and plans were produced by Senior-S'ergeant Dinne, fingerprint expert and photographer, in charge of the Criminal Registration Branch.

' Hira Rob Roy Avery, occupying the ; adjoining flat, said that Laurentines came home between 7 and 7.15 o’clock. Both were very much under the influence of liquor. He paid Laurentine the rent, and returned to his flat. He heard from the Laurentines 1 I flat “a proper argument” between Laurentine and his wife, and turned up his wireless, but could still hear the voices. Aften seven or eight minutes, Mrs Laurentine came to the door and said: “Quick Mr Avery. Get the doctor. I’ve stabbed Laurie.” Witness went immediately to Laurentine’s kitchen, and found Laurentine halflying or sitting in a corner. There was blood on the floor. He went to get assistance, and stopped a passing ambulance, which came to the house. Mrs Laurentine was still in the kitchen. She asked where the doctor was, and “was in a very hysterical state of mind.” She was very much under the influence of liquor. The ambulance driver asked how it happened, and she replied “There was a fight. He hit me, and I stabbed him.” 'She turned to witness and said, “You know I would not do it deliberately, Mr Avery.” She went in the ambulance with her husband. In cross-examination, witness said he had kpown the couple for about 15 months. She was most devoted to her husband, and he was fond of her. He was somewhat addicted to liquor, and used to have drinking bouts, after which he got very ill, and she would nurse him back to health. They had been to the races at Hutt Park on November 2. Dr. E. M. Griffin said 1 that Mrs Laurentine was rather much under the influence of liquor. A lot of blood was on her hands, arms knees and legs. Her only injuries were recent lumps on the head, a recent weal on the left arm and another on the back. Her clothing was not torn. x In cross-examination, he said that ( Mrs Laurentine’s injuries were con- . Sistent with her having been struck ; two or three times or felled. She , was extremely remorseful over the ; loss of her husband. Dr. E. G. Gibbs gave similar evi- j den.ee. ( Evidence by Henry James Headi- , fen, porter at the hospital, and j Charles Lorenzo Hogg, free ambu- , lance driver, indicated that Mrs Laurentine was in a very hysterical condition.

Cross-examined, Hogg said that all her movements and statements indicated that she was desperately trying to do something to help her husband. WELLINGTON, December 4.

At the murder trial, Doctor -D. J. A. Doyle, of Wellington Hospital, said Laurentine, when admitted to hospital about 7.50 p.m., was suffering from extreme shock, ana the pulse could not be felt. His 'breathing wasirregular and gasping. He had three

wounds —one about an irfch long between the ninth alid tenth ribs; one in the left groin; and a small one in the left thigh. There had been considerable haemorrhage, ana, despite treatment, the patienl died about 8.50.

James Dillon, Hospital Porter, said that when the Laurentines reached the hospital in the ambulance, Mrs Laurentine was holding her husband’s legs up in an endeavour to save his blood, and she said to him: “You might be the biggest rotter on earth, but you know I would not do it!” She knelt, in a praying position, and said: “You know I wouldn’t do it, God!” She was upset but was not hysterical, and she did not appear to be under the influence of liquor. She offered to give a blood transfusion.

Dr. P. P. Lynch, who made a post mortem examination, said that driiiking was obvious, judging from the quantity of alcohol in the urine. Detective Smeaton said that he qnd another detective saw Mrs Laurentinfc at the hospital. She was hysterical and was smelling strongly/of liquor. She agreed to go to the Detective Office In the car on the way there the accused said: |f We quarrelled, and he hit me twice on the face, I fell and hit my head. Feel the lump on my head!” She directed witness’s hand to her head, and he could feel a lump about an inch in diameter there. She continued: “I stabbed him with a knife which I was using to cut a lamb’s fry with. The knife is now on the bench. Laurie said: “Jean, you quick-tempered b , ( You have stabbed me!” I said: Ii know. I meant to stab you!” The accused continued: “We had been to the races. I loved him. Is he dead?” For the rest of the journey, she was staring into space. Witness and the other detective went to the Laurentine’s flat, where there was a carving knife on the bench. There appeared to be blood on each side of the blade A frying pan contained pieces of a cooked lamb’s fry in fat. The’ accused had nothing to say after being charged with the murder. Cross-examined by Mr Mazengarb, the detective agreed that the accused’s attitude was to conceal nothing. She was concerned about her husband.

At the conclusion of the police evidence, Mrs Laurentine was committed for trial at the Supreme Court in February.