May 5, 2006

THE HUSBAND DESERVED IT MORE:

Wife who stabbed love rival 18 times cleared of murder bid (Nicole Martin, 06/05/2006, Daily Telegraph)

A woman who stabbed her husband's former mistress 18 times in a jealous rage was cleared of attempted murder yesterday.

Alethea Foster, 61, gasped and stumbled in the dock after a jury of nine women and three men acquitted her of intentionally trying to kill or harm Julie Simpson, 45, a mature student at Cambridge University, last October.

But she was sentenced to 30 months in prison for causing grievous bodily harm after stabbing her in the neck, face, head, chest and back, leaving her with a punctured lung, blind in one eye and disfigured for life.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that Foster, who until her retirement was chief podiatrist at King's College Hospital, London, launched the attack after she uncovered e-mails suggesting Miss Simpson had been having a 16-year affair with John, 58, her husband of 35 years.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 5, 2006 9:01 PM
Comments

A really good prosecutor knows how to channel the defendant's presentation of the pseudo-defense of provocation into admissions of motive and specific intent. This was a trial, the defense gambled with a pseudo-defense and it flew; usually it doesn't.

Also familiar to anyone who has been there is the journalist's misuse of the word, "cleared," to describe conviction for a lesser included offense.

Posted by: Lou Gots at May 5, 2006 9:50 PM

And the cry goes up again for the elimination of kitchen knives...

Look, folks, if all she could get was the jawbone of an ass, a hammer or a poker from the fireplace, she would still have attacked the interloper...

Posted by: Doug in Colorado at May 5, 2006 11:16 PM

I might have acquitted her of attempted murder.

Foster had enough time to stab Simpson 18 times; since Foster's a doctor, I would assume that it was also enough time to kill, if that was the intent.

But 30 months isn't nearly long enough, for a crime like this.
I'd like to see her put away for something between 60 and 84 months.

Posted by: Noam Chomsky at May 6, 2006 7:26 AM

Adultery is the crime.

Posted by: oj at May 6, 2006 7:49 AM

She should have asked herself, "What would Lorena Bobbit do?"

Posted by: Bryan at May 6, 2006 8:02 AM

Can't have Adultery without Marriage.....

Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 6, 2006 11:21 AM
« FIRST, STOP SCARING THE CHILDREN: | Main | LUCKY THEY WEREN'T PLAYING HEARTS: »