Murphy’s injuries.
(SNO) – A feud over the past two years between neighbours in Balata, Babonneau turned into bloodshed on Saturday, May 26, 201, about 8 p.m.
A 50-year-old self-employed woman, Marilise Murphy, and her boyfriend Stephen Jn Louis, were the victims of an attack from two sisters.
Police said Murphy was assaulted and stabbed multiple times in her face and an arm. Her boyfriend was also assaulted in the fracas.
On Friday, June 1, 2018, Leann Mitchell and her sister Kannesha Mitchell were charged in connection with the attack on their neighbours in Balata. Leann was charged for causing wounds to Murphy and bailed in the sum of $1,000 on her own recognizance, to attend court on August 3.
Kannesha was charged for assaulting Murphy and Jn Louis, as well as causing damage to Murphy’s eyeglasses during that same incident. She was also bailed on her own recognizance in the sum of $1,000, on each charge, and to attend court on August 3.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Murphy has told police that she is in fear of her life after allegedly receiving a threat after her neighbours were charged.
She sells pastries and dahls in Castries for a living.
St. Lucia News Online (SNO) obtained a copy of a warning letter that was issued in November 2017 to Leann by Murphy through an attorney from the Legal Aid Authority.
The letter states:
“We act on behalf of Marlise Murphy of Balata, Babonneau who instructs us as follows:
1. That our client is your neighbour.
2. That you have been harassing our client for almost two years.
3. That our client has made numerous complaints to the police about the situation yet nothing has been done.
4. That you play loud music which disturbs our client at her home.
5. That our client has spoken to you about the harassment yet it continues.
6. That our client wants to live peacefully in her home.
7. That you have indicated to our client that you are going to assault her, as a result client fenced around her home to avoid trouble.
“In light of those circumstances we have been instructed to demand that you allow our client to live peacefully in her home and stop with the harrassment as failure to do so will result in our client pursuing legal action.
“YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
“Yours faithfully
Director – Legal Aid Authority
Attorney-at-law
Samanthia George”
SNO understands that this is the second such letter that has been issued on behalf of Murphy.
A part of a legal/police statement written by Murphy states: “…. Lean and I are not friends. From the time I moved in with my boyfriend Lean has been verbally insulting me and harassing. Sometimes I would ignore her and sometimes I woud quarrel with her. I have been to the Babonneau Police Station on several occasions to make reports against Lean and asked that she be warned. The warnings were issued as requested by officers at the Station. I have had two lawyers’ letters served on Lean and that has not stopped Lean from troubling me. I felt like it got worse after each letter.”
It continues (unedited): “On Saturday the 26th day of May 2018 about 12:00 pm, I was on a bus heading to Marc from Castries. When the bus got to the pedestrian crossing near Massy Waterfront, it stopped to allow persons to pass. I was seated on the last seat at the back of the bus near the window on the left side. I felt somebody grabbed my top. I looked and notice that it was Lean. I also noticed that her boyfriend, Ricardo, was with her.
“I asked her “Lean what did I do to you”. She never answered me. She grabbed my glasses from my eyes and broke it and sent it back on me. The driver drove off and I called the Babonneau Police Station and informed the officer what had happened. He told me that since the incident took place in Castries, I should go to the Criminal Investigations Department in Castries to make a report.
“I went to Marc, dropped the items for my mother and returned to Castries. I proceeded to the Criminal Investigations Department in Castries where I made a report against Lean. I saw Lean and her boyfriend in Castries earlier and I heard her shouting “Marilise Bomb kaka, Septic tank” but I did not answer he. I continued on my way.
“About 8:00pm, my boyfriend and I arrived at Balata. The bus put us down and he asked me to wait, I did not wait, I just continued walking. When I turned back I saw Canisha and Ricardo attacking Stephen. Ricardo had a long knife in his hand attempting to stab Stephen. I shouted “Oh my God, Stephen die tonight”, Suddenly I was attacked by lean with a bottle she sent after me but missed. She told me, “In your mother cunt, is you that going to fucking die tonight”.
“We started fighting. While in a scuffle with Lean, Canisha came and kicked me under my left breast and I fell to the ground. Lean came on top of me. I noticed that she had a knife in her right hand. She stabbed me several times in my faces, my neck, my left hand and my right ears. I attempted to block the knife with my left hand. Lean kept telling me “Marilise I will kill you in your mother cunt, Marilise I will kill you. You have to leave the hill. I will make you leave the hill”.
“Somebody came and pulled her off me. I do not know who pulled her off me. I got up and noticed that I was bleeding from the face and left arm. I walked towards the road with my boyfriend and called the Babonneau Police Station and informed the officer of my attack. I called 911 and asked for assistance. I was told that they had no ambulance available.
“The area where they attacked Stephen had light from a lamp pole as well as light coming from the yellow shop by the road. I could see Stephen and the person attacking him very clearly. I was standing a little higher-up next to a palm tree when I was attacked. I did not see her hiding in the dark before she attacked me. There was poor lighting but I could see my attacker clearly because she came up very close to me.
“My boyfriend and I took a bus and went to the Babonneau Police Station. I was transported to the Victoria Hospital. Corporal Monero and a female officer via the Police vehicle. While at the Victoria Hospital, I was attended to by a doctor and got several stiches to my face, neck and left arm. I left the Victoria Hospital a little after 1:00am on 27/05/18 and went to my home in Balata.”
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