Murder suspect returns for 2nd Hong Kong trial
By Min Lee |
January 12, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN American housewife accused of drugging then clubbing her banker husband to death in Hong Kong seven years ago stood trial for murder for a second time yesterday after the city's highest court had thrown out her earlier conviction.
The conviction and mandatory life sentence Nancy Kissel was given in September 2005 was overturned last year because prosecutors improperly cross-examined her and the judge allowed hearsay evidence. She maintains she killed her husband in self-defense.
Kissel, who remains in custody, pleaded innocent to the new murder charge at Hong Kong's High Court. Both her parents attended yesterday's session, as did her father-in-law, William Kissel, although he said later he wasn't sure if he would stay for the entire trial, which is expected to last more than two months.
Kissel trembled badly as she spoke, clinging to the bars in the defendant's box and leaning on her lawyer. Her words were barely audible, and the judge had to repeat what he heard and seek Kissel's confirmation.
Her fate will be decided by a jury of five men and four women selected yesterday morning. High Court Judge Andrew Macrae ordered -jurors to ignore news -coverage from the previous trial and to -refrain from doing any of their own research on the Internet.
The first trial against the 47-year-old United States native grabbed worldwide attention with juicy details on the breakdown of a wealthy expatriate marriage in this southern Chinese financial hub. It spawned two books and a TV special.
Kissel said she killed her husband in self-defense after he attacked her with a baseball bat and tried to rape her.
The conviction and mandatory life sentence Nancy Kissel was given in September 2005 was overturned last year because prosecutors improperly cross-examined her and the judge allowed hearsay evidence. She maintains she killed her husband in self-defense.
Kissel, who remains in custody, pleaded innocent to the new murder charge at Hong Kong's High Court. Both her parents attended yesterday's session, as did her father-in-law, William Kissel, although he said later he wasn't sure if he would stay for the entire trial, which is expected to last more than two months.
Kissel trembled badly as she spoke, clinging to the bars in the defendant's box and leaning on her lawyer. Her words were barely audible, and the judge had to repeat what he heard and seek Kissel's confirmation.
Her fate will be decided by a jury of five men and four women selected yesterday morning. High Court Judge Andrew Macrae ordered -jurors to ignore news -coverage from the previous trial and to -refrain from doing any of their own research on the Internet.
The first trial against the 47-year-old United States native grabbed worldwide attention with juicy details on the breakdown of a wealthy expatriate marriage in this southern Chinese financial hub. It spawned two books and a TV special.
Kissel said she killed her husband in self-defense after he attacked her with a baseball bat and tried to rape her.
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