Woman guilty of killing husband

When the San Fernando jury told Justice Anthony Carmona that Bedeau was guilty she remained silent. She was found guilty by virtue of diminished responsibility. During the six-week trial, expert psychiatrist Dr Gerard Hutchinson testfied that Brown Bedeau was suffering from diminished responsibility.

He said women who experienced that syndrome can respond by murdering or killing the abuser, either in self defence, provocation or revenge. Hutchinson testified that Brown Bedeau’s case was one of chronic provocation.

Bedeau, 40, was on trial at the San Fernando Criminal Assizes charged with the November 11, 2002 murder of her husband Bernard Bedeau, 40. Bedeau fatally stabbed the man before burning his body and then burying it near a latrine at the back of their Warden Road Extension, Point Fortin home.

The accused woman planted fig trees and cassava stalks on top of the grave. She then lied to her children and relatives telling them that he was in Tobago. But a few days later his charred remains was found by his brothers.

Bedeau, who surrendered to the police, was charged by Cpl Cuthbert Straker. She was represented by attorney Chatoor Mewahlal instructed by Carol Fodringham while the State was represented by State counsel Angelica Teelucksingh.

The judge said the courts were closed next week and on Monday April 24, he had a similar matter to attend to in Port-of-Spain in which a woman was found guilty of killing her abusive husband. “It seems that this is the month of battered wives,” Justice Carmona said as he adjourned the case for sentencing to April 27.