MARIANNE Parker has been found not-guilty of the stabbing murder of her husband Kenneth Wayne Parker.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Parker was charged with murdering her husband in their Monash Street home in West Wyalong between 6.30pm and 7pm on December 16, 2013.
Parker cried quietly in the dock of the NSW Supreme Court sitting in Griffith on Friday after a jury found her not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter of Mr Parker.
Parker had pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter but not guilty to the charge of murder however, the Crown had pressed on with a murder case.
Mrs Parker appeared relieved after hearing the verdict, turning often to smile and nod through her tears at the family and friends present to support her. The victim’s family sat quietly on the other side of the courtroom as the verdict was delivered.
Parker killed Mr Parker by stabbing him in the back on December 16, 2013. The court heard during the trial that the fatal wound had severed an artery and vein causing the victim to lose 2.5 litres of blood.
Parker will face a sentencing hearing on April, 28 in Griffith. Justice Stephen Rothmam said sentencing could take some time as manslaughter was one of the hardest sentences to impose because there were some variables. As Parker was escorted out of the courtroom she turned to her family and said “that’s good” as they reached over the railings to touch her and offer support.
Parker’s defence lawyer, Eric Wilson SC, told the jury his client had pleaded guilty to manslaughter in his opening address on April 4.
However, he said the jury needed to consider whether she had intended to kill or seriously harm the deceased when considering the charge of murder. The court heard during the trial that Parker had a history of heavy drinking. The court heard that Parker had been ‘well intoxicated’ on the night she stabbed her husband with police having to delay her interview following her arrest, due to her high level of intoxication.
During the trial the court heard that the accused woke up in custody after being arrested for the offence and didn't believe her husband was dead, with no memory of the part of the night where she stabbed him. Justice Rothmam congratulated both counsel on their performance during the trial and thanked them on behalf of the court.
He said it had been a long time since he had seen a case run so well by both sides.