Basse Terre:--- The General Assizes of Basse Terre pronounced the verdict for the mother and daughter who stabbed Cecilia Henry to death late Friday evening. The jury found Imelda Relus guilty of assassination and sentenced her to eight (8) years imprisonment. While Karell Marcellin was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to five (5) years imprisonment. It is clear that the court considered what the mother and daughter suffered at the hands of victim and the suspects actions on that fatal day was simply to defend themselves because authorities did not try to stop Henry from attacking Marcellin.
The two suspects can clearly say that the judicial system worked in their favor and considered the amount of times Karell Marcellin was attacked by Henry. Based on the decision of the General Assizes, Karell Marcellin can approach the court within six months and ask that she be released from prison conditionally since she already spent two years behind bars. As for the mother, she would have to stay much longer in prison before she could submit a plea for her liberation before the courts.
Karell Marcellin in her statements to the court on Wednesday made clear that she had a difficult life growing up, she also told the court that in her mind she would have always been a victim of Cecilia Henry because she ended up twice in hospital because of the injuries she suffered each time Henry attacked her. She told the court she wanted to be a good person, a policeman, gendarme or even a lawyer but her families' financial circumstances prevented her from continuing her education in Martinique. Marcellin even told the court she found work on the Dutch side and was quickly promoted.
Regarding the exact circumstances on October 3rd, 2011 when Cecilia Henry was killed Marcellin told the court she just could not remember the details and how she ended up on the other side of the street.
On Friday morning the Attorney General told the Court of Assizes in his remarks that he does not consider the murder of Cecilia Henry as an assassination or premeditated murder as concluded by the Judge of Instruction. The Attorney General considered the killing of Cecilia Henry by Karell Marcellin and her mother Imelda Relus as "murder". Therefore, he asked the jury to convict the main suspect Karell Marcellin to eight (8) years imprisonment while her mother Imelda Relus received ten (10) years imprisonment for the brutal slaying of Cecilia Henry.
Victims lawyer Maitre Jan Marc Ferly told SMN News that the Attorney General has taken the liberty to give people on St. Martin the authority to kill each other when they have a problem that cannot be easily be resolved. Maitre Ferly said the conclusion of the Attorney General is very bad sign for the people of St. Martin. Maitre Ferly said most of the evidence that is in the file was ignored by the Attorney General.
In August 2012, the judge of instruction in Pointe Pitre; Brice Haansmaan determined that the two suspects Karell 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.
