Covid: Husband not guilty of murdering wife in lockdown

[janterry]

Anthony Williams, 70, said he "just flipped" and strangled his wife Ruth at their home in Cwmbran, Torfaen.

Williams, of Brynglas, Hollybush, denied murdering the 67-year-old in March 2020, but admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility.

A jury at Swansea Crown Court took just over five hours to find the retired factory worker not guilty of murder.

Williams will be sentenced on Thursday.

The trial heard Williams strangled his wife of 46 years on the morning of 28 March after an argument.

The defence said Williams had not slept properly for several nights because of worries over coronavirus, money and his health.

He told police he had "choked the living daylights" out of Mrs Williams.

Williams had been suffering from depression and anxiety in the weeks before he killed his wife, the jury heard, and "just snapped" and attacked her when she told him to "get over it".
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56071168

[Squinch]

1. Wonder what a Swansea jury WOULD consider murder, if this isn't it.

[janterry]

4. If she had killed him because SHE just snapped

I'm guessing that would be murder........

[Squinch]

7. Yep. I have little doubt.

But his emotional discomfort was more important, apparently, than her life.

[Guilded Lilly]

2. Shaking my head. HE KILLED HER. He followed her as she was...

trying to get away. He admitted killing her. He took her life violently.

“Just snapped”?????

He Forcibly ended her life.

Shaking my head again.

[MaryMagdaline]

3. Woman less than Man

As it was in the beginning, now and ever shall be, world without end.

[janterry]

5. Younger women keep telling me that it is getting

better. Frankly, I think it's getting worse.

[MaryMagdaline]

6. As I get older, I think it's just becoming clearer to me

It was always there, and I engaged in himpathy myself. I see it more clearly now.

[Squinch]

8. Once you see it, it is absolutely everywhere, and you can never unsee it.

[MaryMagdaline]

9. Exactly!

[Squinch]

10. Better to see it, though, and know what you are really dealing with.

[Bev54]

11. There you go, now so many can try the same excuse

I really struggle to understand the legal system, so harsh in some cases and so lenient in others. Just Nuts!

[Harker]

12. Tired and worried?

Oh, that's okay, then.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

13. I believe I have read that murders are up since

the Pandemic arrived.

Glad I live alone.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Personal Experience With This

My uncle killed his wife this way. He went to prison but for negligent homicide, not Murder 1.
The oldest kid (about 7) told the cops "mommy hit daddy with a pan, and they started fighting."
That pretty much eliminated premeditation.
I know that's different circumstances, but it's possible it wouldn't even be tried as a murder here in Illinois.

[dlk]

15. Not even manslaughter?

The misogyny continues.