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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Penelope jackson guilty of murder

407 replies

Thomasina79 · 29/10/2021 16:51

I’ve been following this news item with interest. She is the woman who stabbed her violent and coercive and bullying husband to death after 20 years of torment. She denied murder, but admitted manslaughter.

Am I being unreasonable in thinking the jury should have not found her guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Murder carries a life sentence in prison and I cannot see that that there is anything to gain by locking her away.

OP posts:
DentalWorries · 29/10/2021 16:53

This is such a sad case. The evidence given by their daughter certainly shows their marriage had a lot of problems. The footage of her being arrested is fascinating, she just seems like she’s finally come to the end of her tether.

mbosnz · 29/10/2021 16:55

I think it would be pretty hard not to find that intent had been proven.

PinkiOcelot · 29/10/2021 16:58

Is she the lady who said I would have stabbed him in the heart but he hasn’t got one and made another couple of similar comments?
If it is, unfortunately, I don’t think she’s done herself any favours. Don’t they look at remorse etc when passing sentences?
I feel for her and hope she doesn’t get found guilty of murder.

x2boys · 29/10/2021 17:00

Well when they arrested her she said ,hoped they were too late to save him and admitted stabbing him ,how us that not murder?

x2boys · 29/10/2021 17:01

@PinkiOcelot

Is she the lady who said I would have stabbed him in the heart but he hasn’t got one and made another couple of similar comments? If it is, unfortunately, I don’t think she’s done herself any favours. Don’t they look at remorse etc when passing sentences? I feel for her and hope she doesn’t get found guilty of murder.
She has .
21stDentistryGirl · 29/10/2021 17:03

I feel for her but it would make a real mockery of the system were she not since they have video footage of her both admitting and revelling in it.

RAOK · 29/10/2021 17:04

@DentalWorries

This is such a sad case. The evidence given by their daughter certainly shows their marriage had a lot of problems. The footage of her being arrested is fascinating, she just seems like she’s finally come to the end of her tether.
Agree! Her daughter is expecting a baby too. Tragic case.
PlanDeRaccordement · 29/10/2021 17:14

I’m actually glad the verdict was murder.

It’s obvious that she intended to kill him and he was no threat to her when she went back, snatched the phone out of his hand after he’d called 999 for help, told the police not to send an ambulance and calmly stabbed him some more. She stated to police that she was fully aware of what she’d done and if she’d done it right, it would be murder instead of attempted murder. Etc etc.

There was more evidence that she was coercive and bullying than he was according to character witnesses. So I think that whole angle of the defence was poorly thought out.

Theluggage15 · 29/10/2021 17:23

It seems she was the bully in that relationship and in her previous one with husband number 3. Her daughter said she’d only seen normal bickering for years. She sounds hideous.

Glitterandunicorns · 29/10/2021 17:26

@Theluggage15 that's not what Sky News are reporting. They say that the daughter gave evidence saying that she had witnessed her father behaving violently towards her mother several times, including once when she was a child when her father held a knife to his wife's throat.

midsomermurderess · 29/10/2021 17:27

I don't think there is much merit in second guessing the jury's verdict. They had all the relevant evidence in front of them, they saw daily the accused's demeanour, they were given guidance by the judge as to what would justify either verdict. There is nothing to suggest that they didn't properly apply themselves to their duty. It doesn't really matter what outcome you would have chosen.

ssd · 29/10/2021 17:27

Seems she murdered him in cold blood. She was guilty.

IncessantNameChanger · 29/10/2021 17:28

She didnt show any remorse and it didnt seem like heat of the moment and then "oh my God what I do?" She was glad and admitted she would do it again all verly calmly. Why not just walk if she was that calm and full of hate.

She hasnt helped herself

DeliaDinglehopper · 29/10/2021 17:30

I think it was the right result but I’m expecting she’ll appeal. Going back and stabbing him again - just doesn’t sit right. I understand there can be diminished responsibility when there’s abuse but we don’t have the death penalty, and abuse is not an excuse to kill someone.

Kimonolady · 29/10/2021 17:30

Presumably the jury either (a) did not accept that she was a victim of abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour, or (b) did accept that, but felt that nevertheless, she was in control and had not ‘snapped’ as she claimed.

Based on what I have read and seen, I think it’s the right verdict, although of course I’m only going on what has been reported.

Glitterandunicorns · 29/10/2021 17:30

She may not have helped herself in her demeanour, but this is a woman who stated she had been controlled and abused for decades by this man. It is not surprising to think that in that situation, you might not feel that sad that he is dead.

The police had been called out on at least one prior incident when he was violent.

I think this is an awfully sad case. I'm gutted she was convicted of murder, but understand why she was.

I really hope there is some sort of leniency in sentencing.

Ughmaybenot · 29/10/2021 17:31

I think it’s a horribly sad situation all round and I feel for the poor daughter being brought up around such a toxic environment, but I can’t see how this could be called anything but murder. She made sure she killed him, she showed absolutely no remorse and made it clear she intended to kill him… can’t really be argued with unfortunately.

PlanDeRaccordement · 29/10/2021 17:31

The jury was eight women and four men as well, so she was judged by a jury of her peers

Ohshittt · 29/10/2021 17:33

The judge stated he didn't believe her account of her husband and she was in fact the bully. I was quite shocked to hear that! Sad case all round really.

Userguaranteed · 29/10/2021 17:33

Justice was served - as it should be.

No special treatment regardless of sex or reason.

GaolBhoAlba · 29/10/2021 17:34

I found the video of her arrest incredibly alarming. Lucid and calm, asking for her coat - a psychopath. Guilty of murder, no question.

Userguaranteed · 29/10/2021 17:35

YABU

Theluggage15 · 29/10/2021 17:37

The daughter said she witnessed those incidents as a young child, one after his son’s suicide but had never seen anything since then apart from general bickering. The judge did not believe her account of her husband and she’s been found guilty of murder.

bonfireheart · 29/10/2021 17:37

@midsomermurdress agree totally and people would be well to remember that.

girlmom21 · 29/10/2021 17:41

If she'd stabbed him once and he'd died they'd have found her guilty of man-slaughter I think.

The judge said the jury to consider whether her actions were a loss of self-control.

One stabbing would've been, potentially. Even 3 stabbings in a mad rage.

It was the fact that she went and stabbed him a further two times when he was calling for help that made it murder. She had time to consider her actions and she chose to kill him.

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