78-year-old woman acquitted of husband’s murder attempt

The public prosecutor had demanded a five-year effective prison sentence.

Brigitta H. and Georges B. went to a friendly couple on June 9, 2019 to say goodbye. The farmers apparently didn’t like it anymore, partly due to a soured relationship with the children.

When their friends came to investigate that evening, they saw how the defendant had dragged her husband out on a cloth. At that time, both dogs of the family were already lying in the open cistern.

According to the public prosecutor, it was clearly her intention to throw the victim into the cistern. The defendant himself also stated that earlier that day they were already standing on the train tracks, with the intention of taking their own lives.

Ask the parquet

However, the prosecutor questioned that story, because B. himself stated that he was not struggling with suicidal thoughts. The defense pleaded that it was indeed the intention to commit suicide together.

According to master Kris Vincke, a first attempt was stopped when one of the dogs ran away. That night they drank a lot before going back to the train tracks. “My client dragged him out to get some fresh air, not to push into that well,” he said.

The acquittal was therefore successfully requested for attempted murder. H. also had to answer for animal abuse, but the defense proposed suspension of punishment for this.

“More Going On”

The victim eventually died of natural causes in 2021. According to the daughters of those involved, there is more going on, but the public prosecutor’s office has asked the court in that case to exclude H. from prosecution. The civil parties have requested additional investigation.

According to the court, it is certain that Brigitta H. did want to drag her husband to the well. However, witnesses stated that she was no longer able to do so effectively. The verdict noted that the well in question is located at the rear of the breeding farm. According to the judges, it cannot be estimated whether H. in her condition could still drag the victim dozens of meters on a piece of cloth. It cannot therefore be ruled out that this was an absolutely unsound attempt, an assassination attempt that, in other words, could not possibly succeed.

In addition, it was mentioned that the victim also had suicidal tendencies. The judges therefore did not rule out the possibility that he would eventually sink himself into the pit. His interrogation shortly after the facts also did not point in the direction of an attempted murder.

Finally, according to the court, it is not certain that an adult person could have drowned in that well at all. In those circumstances, Brigitta H. was therefore acquitted for the murder attempt. She received a suspended sentence for animal cruelty.