PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Nearly a year ago, my client’s life got turned upside down when his actions in defending his life were wrongfully interpreted as actions of revenge by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, who charged my client with murder and manslaughter (as a secondary charge).
Their demand of 12 years was not honored as the Judge in the First Instance agreed with my client’s position that his actions were in self-defense as a result of the deliberate attempt by the deceased to stab my client in his neck by his home.
The Public Prosecutor filed an appeal of the Judge’s ruling and requested the Court of Appeals to convict my client for 4 years, instead of its original demand of 12 years. Today, my client is pleased to learn that the Court of Appeals has maintained the Judge’s ruling in First Instance.
Consequently, my client’s argument of self-defense was once again accepted to have been valid and justified.
Both my client and I are satisfied with this judgment and that justice was once again upheld.
