French Quarter/Basse Terre:--- The two suspects, mother and daughter, who brutally murdered Cecilia Henry on October 3rd, 2011 on French Quarter public road has to appear before the General Assizes on Wednesday and Thursday this week as they are both facing pre-mediated murder charges.
Cecilia Henry who was no stranger to the French Quarter community was stabbed some 40 times by Karelle Marcelin and her mother Imelda Relus. Henry died on the spot after receiving so many stab wounds from the mother and daughter who basically cornered her and attacked her with a machete and knife. The hearing which will begin on Wednesday morning will determine what led the mother and daughter to commit such a horrible act against a young woman whose life was also not perfect.
The relatives of Cecilia Henry have secured the assistance of Attorney at Law Jan Marc Ferly who is specialized in defending victims of murder and assault such as rape victims. Just last week Maitre Ferly represented a rape victim in the General Assizes and the rapist was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
In August 2012, the judge of instruction in Pointe Pitre; Brice Hansmaan determined that the two suspects Karelle Marcelin and her mother Imelda Relus would have to stand trial for the premeditated murder of Cecilia Henry. Judge Haansman referred the case to the General Assizes after determining that there was sufficient evidence to show that the mother and daughter were guilty of the premeditated murder and assassination of Cecilia Henry.
The court determined after reviewing all the evidence provided to them that the case is classified as assassination under articles 132-72, 132-75,221-1, 221-3, 221-8, 221-9, and 221-11 of the penal code.
The order was pronounced by the judge of instruction after the relatives of the late Cecilia Henry retained well known victim's lawyer Jan Marc Ferly to defend and seek damages for Henry's death. The judgment was pronounced on July 19, 2012.
Cecilia Henry was brutally murdered by the mother and daughter of Haitian decent in the vicinity of the French Quarter Pharmacy and the Gess Gas Station on October 3rd, 2011.
According to the "Avis Ordonnance Rendue", several witnesses to the brutal murder were heard by the court during a "mise en examen". Karelle Marcelin told the court that she was attacked several times by Cecilia Henry and on at least two occasions she was hospitalized and had to stay away from work for 12 days. Besides the constant attacks that left her traumatized, Marcelin had problems at home because her mother could not accept her homosexuality. Marcelin admitted to the judge that her mother bought a knife for her to take to work so that she could defend herself against any further attack by Henry.
Imelda Relus was described as a violent mother by two of her daughters who told the court that they were forced to leave their mother's home because of her violent behavior. However, Relus had no previous convictions. She is the mother of six children and her only source of income was from the CAF. Karelle Marcelin had a previous conviction in March 2009 for aggression and use of a weapon, she spent 15 days behind bars for that crime. SMN News will bring you more information when the trial is concluded later this week.
