UPDATE: Irene Mars found guilty of wounding father of her child
The jury returned a unanimous verdict and Mars is now facing a maximum sentence of five years for her crime.
The sentencing hearing is set for Thursday July 2, 2015.
Mars has been remanded in the interim.
Closing arguments
In representing his case before the court in closing arguments earlier this afternoon, defense lawyer Mr Stephen R. Daniels fought hard to prove to the jury why they should return with a verdict of not-guilty as it was his case that the VC Romano Peters was wounded as the defendant Irene Mars was defending herself.
Yesterday afternoon, Daniels had called his final witness, Dr Sylvia Simmons who for the greater part spoke directly to actions and patterns that are attributes to an abuser and the abused.
During his deliberation, Mr Daniels alluded to the number of times his client testified to being the alleged victim of abuse solely at the hands of the virtual complaint in the case.
It was brought out in court that Mars was a school dropout and had been in a relationship with Peters since she was 15 years of age. According to Daniels, she was looking for leadership, guidance and for a father figure. "She was a victim of circumstances," noted Daniels.
He posited that, as stated by Dr Simmons in her testimony, abusers tend to start a relationship with their victims very early. In this case, it didn't take more than 6-8 months for Peters to allegedly start showing his real self. He recalled evidence given in the court to the fact that Peters allegedly took power and control over his client, taking her pay cheques, deciding who she should or should not speak to, where she could or could not have gone, stalking and even starving her even while pregnant with their child, and fighting her for sex, among other things.
Argument turns violent
Going back to the night of March 31, 2015 Daniels revisited what had transpired and brought out that the wounding occurred only after the woman had suffered two blows to the head and neck.
He recalled Peters telling the court that he wanted to knock out Mars. Daniels argued that the blow that was intended to fulfill Peters’ desire was thwarted as his hand had gotten entangled with a strip curtain at that house but its impact had still caused Mars’ injuries, for which she had to wear a neck brace for some three weeks.
The attorney also recalled his client’s quest of defending herself as Peters had also allegedly told her during a previous encounter that he was bigger and stronger than her.
Daniels related that it was after the punishing blow Mars had received that resulted in her saying, "No no not again" as she staggered to the kitchen and grabbed the knife while the man was pursuing her.
The court was told that after grabbing the knife and turning around, Mars saw Peters in front of her with his hand over his head in attack mode. What happened after then Mars said she couldn't recall.
Also as result of allegedly being abused constantly by Peters, even when love playing, Mars allegedly suffered flash backs. Her self esteem was bashed, sleep was challenging, she felt traumatised and practiced introvertedness, the court was told by the defense.
Flip flopping
The Crown on the other hand sought to prove the opposite of Daniel’s case. Senior Crown Counsel Leslie-Ann Faulkner argued that in many instances where Mars was hit by Peters it was the defendant who was the aggressor.
Ms Faulkner said that throughout Mars' testimony there were a lot of inconsistencies amounting to 'flip flopping’.
She even went as far to suggest that nothing had really happened to Mars' neck despite a brace was affixed by a medical professional at Peebles Hospital. "We are submitting to you that she hadn't one bit of pain," Ms Faulkner told the court.
She said Peters had no problem in telling the truth as he did indeed tell the court he wanted to knock out Mars on the day in question.
Faulkner further said that it was presented as evidence in court that the wounds sustained by the VC were serious as the size of his intestine that gouged out his tummy after being wounded was 12cm wide, 6cm long, his bowels had become discoloured appearing bluish, which was translated by the medical doctor as possibly being dead or dying.
She further related that there were two small punctures on the small intestine and one on the large intestine, and had the weapon gone in a little further at least two main arteries were at risk of being injured. The depth of the wound was 6-8 cm.
Considering the facts presented during the trial, Ms Faulkner noted that since it wasn't the first time Mars had pulled a knife on Peters she knew only one direction, "Kitchen - Knife, she admitted it herself.
Her case was that Romano Peters was wounded unlawfully by Mars.
See previous article published June 22, 2015
‘Irene Mars should have taken her education & not study boys’- grandmother
- Mars is being tried for allegedly stabbing her child father Romano Peters
The High Court of the Virgin Islands earlier today, June 22, 2015 heard from a witness that her grandchild should have focused on school and not on boys and that she also wished the defendant had never gotten pregnant for her child’s father.
This came out today June 22, 2015 in the final stages of the High Court trial of Irene Mars whose fate lies in the hands of a mixed jury as they hear testimonies into the alleged stabbing/wounding of the father of her child Romano Peters.
The incident allegedly occurred at the defendant’s home which she shared with her grandmother Ms Irene Castello, 67. Ms Castello was the second to last witness called by the defense being led by Attorney Stephen R. Daniels.
In a sorry facial expression, as she was made to recall the alleged extent of abuse Mars suffered at the hands of the virtual complainant, Ms Castello told the court that she wished her granddaughter had taken up her education and not look boys.
Further giving her testimony under oath this morning, Castello recalled the several occurrences that led to the alleged wounding. She, however, insisted that she did not see Mars do anything with a knife she had grabbed during an alleged abusive drama between Peters and Mars.
Given the sequence of events that occurred on March 31, 2014, the grandmother said herself and the accused were at home during the evening hour when the virtual complaint (VC) came knocking at the door of her Purcell home. She said it was the defendant who opened the door and allowed the VC into the home as he requested their son’s medication that was allegedly on the table in the one bedroom apartment.
Child custody threat allegedly caused altercation
Castello alleged that as the man put his hands on the medication he turned and said to the mother of his child that he meant it when he said he wanted custody of the child.
She alleged the victim said, “I meant what I said. I need my child. You better go and get a lawyer because I already have one.”
The court heard from Ms Castello that when she interjected, asking Peters why he was trying to take the child away from the biological mother, he allegedly pointed a finger in the accused face saying, “I don’t care a frig what you say. Neither you nor you can stop me from what I want to do.”
Irene Mars, according to the grandmother, stood her grounds that she was not going to give up custody of the child.
She said as her granddaughter responded the man became more infuriated and allegedly dealt the accused a blow to her head which resulted in her staggering for a few seconds. The accused then ordered the man to leave the house.
Argument allegedly gets physical
Castello said she recalled the accused saying after the blow to the head, “Oh no not again,” as she headed to the kitchen area and picked up a knife that was on the counter. The court heard that even at that stage the man alleged pursued the woman with his fist folded and hand in the air in a position to once again hit the woman. “Romano was still charging at her,” Castello alleged.
The witness alleged that Romano did hit her again about the face but she couldn’t recall seeing her granddaughter doing anything with the knife which she had held in front of her. She recalled that the VC then left the house and her granddaughter subsequently left also to get someone to take her to the police station to make a report.
The woman said she only knew that Romano had some injuries when she heard the ambulance and was told that it had come for Romano Peters as he was stabbed.
Castello said that the next time she saw her granddaughter was at the Road Town Police Station from where she was accompanied to Peebles Hospital where her neck was placed in braces and had to be worn for some three weeks.
SDA School drop out
In the introductory stages of her testimony, the witness told the court that Irene Mars had gone to live with her from the age of approximately 14 years and was enrolled in the Seventh-day Adventist School but had failed to complete school. She told the court that she had made the decision to bring her granddaughter to live with her as she was not doing well in school where she was living previously.
During cross examination, the witness denied that the reason Mars was brought to the territory was because she was getting into trouble at school where she was living.
Other allegations she denied during cross examination by Senior Crown Counsel Leslie Ann Faulkner was that there was a time she, Ms Castello, had called Mr Peters to assist with Mars as she had gone home one morning in a very drunken state.
Responding to a question put by the jury, Ms Castelo said she wished Mars had never gotten a child for Peters in the first place.
The court is expected to hear closing arguments tomorrow June 23, 2014.
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40 Responses to “UPDATE: Irene Mars found guilty of wounding father of her child”
This is pure injustice! Ndp should look into this case. He allegdly went into the women hitting her. This as self defense written all over it. I don't know these individuals but this is not rite. Higher authority needed!!!
Imagine that! the man came into the lady house allegedly assaulted her and even said “I don’t care a frig what you say. Neither you nor you can stop me from what I want to do.”
and after he get his backside shake up ...he take her to court and win!!! and he got what he wanted...to take her child away...BVI justice.
What kind of woman stab her child father? Suppose he had die?
have your mother or grandmother able to stop you from being with the man you want to be with?...so what you are saying does not make sense.
@hmm i have seen her bruises I have been to the apartment take her to my house and begged her to press charges but she love the man ttoo much and always say her son needs both parents and the man love her too a was so allegedly jealous she couldn't breath without his permission so yes I can say this cause I know i was not there the night of the stabbing so that I can't comment on but this is not right and I feel for them both but I feel for the child most cause he love his mother like no other and he will suffer from this if she goes to prison
I pray God have mercy on these jury that found her guilty. This seems personal!!! You all have daughters too so god will deal with the w***ed! Tears to my eyes.
PPL I support your comment. She is guilty but does anybody hold him responsible for his actions that led to this situation? He too is guilty. The BVI need a stand your ground law. A man enters your home to harm you he should take what he gets. The BVI laws existing or non existing has just helped him to accomplish his mission to control this young woman and deny her time with her child. Remember Karma is a b**ch. Let's all pray for the child because having to grow up with a father like him is cruel and unusual p***shment. Stretch forth your hands O Lord and cover Irene and her Child. In Jesus name. Amen.
Dislike: 0 0
This is sad and an injustice. Someone comes to my house threatens me and hits me and I am not allowed to defend myself? In my own house? The guy got one or two stab wound. She did not continue stabbing him. As soon as he left that was it. He was no longer a that so she stopped. If she intended to harm him then she would have continued stabbing. The threes Dr to her life was no more and that’s all she had been saying. Leave the house Romano. I should be able to protect myself in my own home. This is an injustice.
A real man would have helped heal her wounds
love her, marry her, bed her, provide a roof over her head
encourage her to go back to school so she can be educated
but with her grandmother she had to stay..
Your alleged abuse she had to take, whether mentally or physically
you know little boy, that what you did to this woman is wrong!
You are not a man, little boy!
Choose your words wisely if you know nothing!
If ayo really know who this girl is. I think most of ayo should Hush and talk about what you know,