A MIXED jury trying the Haslington murder case in which accused Courtney Farley is on trial for the murder of his wife; Melanie on June 7, 2010, yesterday heard the defence alleging infidelity and accident.

But the prosecution, conducted by Miss Natasha Backer, in association with Mrs. Teshana Lake, led evidence to the effect that the deceased housewife met her death from a fractured spine at the hands of the accused who was armed with a cutlass, when the woman was choked and pushed down a stairway.
Miss Anita Bagot, one of the prosecution witnesses, who was in an accident, recently, was allowed to sit in the well of the court to give her evidence since she was still walking with crutches.
The woman testified that she was living at the Farleys and was present in the same room on the day when, according to her, the accused and his wife were involved in an argument when he picked up a cutlass and fired a chop at his wife which penetrated the door.
She went on to say that the accused began to choke his wife who suffered a fractured spine in a fall from the stairs.
Detective Constable D. Singh testified that he arrested the accused who subsequently gave him a caution statement alleging, among other things, that he and his wife had an argument that had arisen when she accused him of having another woman.