PHILIPSBURG - St. Lucian born Ausula Nessa Edwards the mother of four who stabbed her landlord Angel Marlin on January 7th has been acquitted on all charges yesterday. The judge ruled that Edwards acted in self defense when she stabbed Marlin a known drug addict who attacked her for monies after he learnt she won in a casino earlier that week. Judge Smid declares that Marlin approached the defendant for payment of her rent. "An argument followed whereby Angel Marlin became aggressive.
The attacker took a piece of wood and hit the defendant on her leg. At one point the defendant picked up a knife to defend herself against further attacks. The attacker Marlin attacked her, grabbed her by the throat and by the hand in which she held the knife."
Smid states that because of the powerful defense the knife ended up in the upper body of Angel Marlin which resulted in his death. The judge ruled that the defendant Edwards must be released from custody. She already spent over three months behind bars.
Edwards will remain in police custody since she was residing on the island illegally. Her attorney Monique Hoffman is looking into ways in dealing with the deportation since the woman has been residing on St. Maarten for almost twenty years and she also has young children that were born here. Prosecutor Develing had demanded nine years imprisonment. The Public Prosecutor's Office said they would appeal the verdict.
