Husband allegedly kills wife’s lover, but eager wife barred from testifying
Alvaro Rene Gregorio
A murder trial that began on Monday came to a sudden halt in the Supreme Court this morning when Justice Troadio Gonzalez discharged the twelve member jury and ordered a retrial. The case involves thirty-four year old Alvaro Rene Gregorio, who is accused of killing forty-three year old Roberto Jimenez Maroquin. Gregorio’s wife, Aura Molina Juarez, was the only witness to the incident and she testified today, saying that she had been having an affair with Maroquin, who showed up at her house in San Pedro while her husband and two children were at home on October eighth, 2008. She told the court that Gregorio tried to chase Maroquin from the house and they got into an argument. Gregorio allegedly took a knife that Molina was using in the kitchen and stabbed Maroquin once in the heart. But the abrupt end to trial came when Gregorio’s attorney, Simeon Sampson, raised a technicality that his client’s wife should not have been called to give evidence against him. Molina assured the court that she was willingly testifying, but after arguments from both sides, the issue could not be settled and the jury was discharged. Sampson says that he approached the prosecutors, Sharmilla Williams and Thalia Megan Francis, about his concerns even before the trial began, but it was not addressed until he brought it up in court. The retrial is set to begin next week and Molina will not be on the witness list.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought the wife’s privilege was not to be forced to tell whatever her husband SAID in private, not what she saw him DO. It will be interesting to see if there is yet one more way to get away with murder in the Jewel.
Is this testimony of private & confidential communications with her spouse? Or is it of an act that she personally witnessed? One of these types of testimony is prohibitted in court, but the other is not. It’s not that complicated.
set him free! he kill in the crime of passion brought on by his wife cheating
I can understand a rule that maybe a wife should not be forced to testify if she is the husband’s only victim, and the injury is slight.
But there should be no such rule where there is harm to a third person or where the wife was really harmed.
HAS ANYONE CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY ARE REALLY MARRIED? I read about a case in the States where an actor [Sal Mineo] was murdered, and the killer’s lawyer tried the same argument, that the wife could not testify to the confession her husband gave her.
But the police found out that the couple was not legally married, because the wife was married earlier to someone else, and never got a divorce. So she had top testify and the fake husband was convicted. He’s probably still in prison there. Check it out, DPP!
Set the man free.He is the victim of an atrocious act on behalf of undeserving people.Let this be a lesson to unscrupulous people and it is time to look at cases involving no good women especially those taking men to court for maintenance
The wife should be charged with something, for being unfaithful to her husband and children. We know this type of behavior happens all the time but, when a life is lost, she should be punished for cheating.
i agree with Storm. is that legally his wife? Common law i dont think is legal! or shouldnt be. however the legal system in the US is not the same as here in Bze.
bill and Jose Gomez, the fool married the woman, but he should have opened his eyes and divorced her. You can’t make a person stay faithful or love you, and it’s useless to waste time or tears trying. Just move on and find a person with better character who appreciates what you can offer. And who knows whether the murderer was a “model husband” or a rat?
Maybe his feelings were hurt, but he handled that wrong, and deserves punishment.
Anyway, I agree with the comments that a wife or husband should be able to testify to what she/he SEES, but maybe not what she/he was told in private by the spouse.
The lesson here is not a legal question but a moral lesson.. Lesson to all Joe Grind …lef man wife lone. In some countries the wife would be stoned to death much less argue about testifying against her husband. She should be on trial. Joe Grind had some cohones. Hi come da di man house while he and his children were there. Good fuur ah. He desrve whe i get.