Man facing murder charge instead of manslaughter

In news from the courts, Cecil Gabourel was on trial last week for the murder of his wife, Carol, and had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of Manslaughter. But there was a twist in his case today when, before sentencing, Justice Adolph Lucas entered a plea of not guilty based on Gabourel’s version of the incident in his mitigation plea. Gabourel told the court that he and his wife got into an argument because of the relationship she had with another man. Their eleven year old son witnessed the events. According to Gabourel, his wife had sliced a ham to give him for Christmas dinner on December twenty-fifth, 2006, but he told her he did not want any food. Gabourel also told the court that his wife hit him with a broom stick and then got a knife from the kitchen. He said he grabbed her hand to take away the knife, and that a struggle ensued between them. It was during the struggle that his wife was stabbed twice in her chest, said Gabourel. Based on this new information, the Presiding Judge then entered a plea of not guilty and Gabourel will now go on trial for Murder this March. Gabourel was represented by Simeon Sampson and Crown Counsel Trenia Young represented the prosecution.