Lawyers for Brossard told journalists after the sentencing that they will not appeal
Journalists crowd around Palais de Justice entrance
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Cécile Brossard, who killed her lover Edouard Stern in Geneva in 2005, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. She has served four of those. Yesterday’s harsh judgement by the jury, convicting Brossard of homicide rather than of a crime of passion, was softened by the relatively light sentence: she could have received as much as 20 years, and a crime of passion normally carries a lighter sentence of one to 10 years in prison.
It was a hot day in Geneva and crowds headed for the cafes near the Palais de Justice rather than courtrooms while Cécile B, as she was known in the French press, was sentenced
The public defender had called for 11 years but her lawyers asked for compassion, suggesting she be allowed to leave prison as soon as possible. She will in fact most likely be eligible to leave at the end of 2010.
TSR notes that the documents, photos, latex suit in which the murdered man was found, the weapon and other items related to the crime and trial will be destroyed, citing the court president.
Related: TSR, Fre
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Geneva, Switzerland (TSR, Fre) – The trial of Cécile Brossard for the murder of Edouard Stern draws to a close today 17 June. The jury of 12 is sequestered and its judgement is expected by the end of the day. They must decide if the murder, to which Brossard has admitted, was simple homicide or a crime of passion with attenuating circumstances. A conviction for homicide could carry up to 20 years in prison for the 40-year-old.
Background: Edouard Stern’s murder, GenevaLunch in partnership with l’Hebdo, 9 June 2009
Update 07:55 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Popular interest in Cécile Brossard’s trial for the murder of wealthy French banker Edouard Stern in Geneva in 2005 is in little danger of lagging, if the crowds queuing at 08:30 Monday 15 June for the public seats are any indication. The trial’s fourth day ended with Brossard giving “contradictory” testimony, according to TSR. Le Temps Tuesday morning carries a lengthy description of Monday’s session, where Brossard for the first time described in court what happened the night of the murder. Earlier in the day the crowd listened attentively to tape recorded messages Stern left Brossard and to police recordings of phone calls between Brossard and her husband or her friends.
What the Swiss (French) media are saying:
Le Temps refers to the “infernal relationship” between Stern and Brossard in pointing out the change Monday from the teary-eyed Brossard seen last week to the woman Monday who appeared to be made of marble while she listened, first to tender messages left on her cell phone by Stern and later to others that were cruel and crude.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The drama of the trial of Cécile Brossard for the murder of Edouard Stern in Geneva finished its first day with two surprises. The husband of the accused, a naturopathy doctor in Clarens, Vaud, told the court that he leaned his wife was having an affair with Stern only after the murder. He understood that his wife was the “sexual secretary” for the French banker based in Geneva. At one point she asked him to give a massage to Stern, who was suffering from back problems. Stern later insulted him, calling him a cuckold.
The second surprise of the day was that the million dollars that caused a tug-of-war between Stern and Brossard is still sitting in an account with Credit Suisse in Montreux, earning interest.
The trial is scheduled to run until 19 June.
