Drug addict attemtps to murder cop; GETS AWAY WITH IT

[ZERO THEORY]

A Vermont woman who sneaked up behind a police officer while under arrest and allegedly tried to slit his throat with a knife was found not guilty of attempted murder.

Jennifer Berube, 40, was acquitted of attempted second-degree murder and a lesser charge of attempted aggravated assault on Friday by a jury in Rutland, a city in western Vermont about 60 miles south of Burlington.

Berube and her former husband, John MacLean III, were arrested in December 2012 for trying to use a stolen credit card, the Times Argus newspaper reported.

While in police custody, Berube, who was homeless and hooked on heroin at the time, believed she heard MacLean trying to hang himself with his shoelaces in his holding cell, the Times Argus newspaper reported.

In a bid to help, she slipped a Leatherman tool out of a hidden jacket pocket and attacked Officer Damon Nguyen with it.

Surveillance footage from inside the station house showed Berube grabbing Nguyen by the neck with a 2-inch blade in her hand before getting overpowered by several other officers.

During the trial, her defense attorneys argued she was merely trying to scare the officer, not kill him.

"She's an RN. She knows how to use a knife. If she wanted to kill she would have plunged the knife right in," attorney Daniel Sedon told the Times Argus after the verdict.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1815198


Damn patriarchy always oppressing women! #yesallwomen

[Great-Kazoo]

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. Once there is uncertainty in a juror's mind, getting a conviction is almost impossible. Until you've sat on a murder or attempted murder trial, nothing is black and white. The littlest item can mean the difference between innocence or guilt.

[GilpinGuy]

How does someone "sneak up on" an officer while under arrest? She was either seated behind him without resrtraints of any kind or she was roaming around. Either way, it's odd how his back was to her. But I'm no police officer. Maybe she was calm and cooperative and he just let his guard down?

[T-Giv]

How does someone "sneak up on" an officer while under arrest? She was either seated behind him without resrtraints of any kind or she was roaming around. Either way, it's odd how his back was to her. But I'm no police officer. Maybe she was calm and cooperative and he just let his guard down?

Judging by the video she was clearly in some type of detainment area within the Police Department. To get to this point she was probably searched multiple times. But given that the officer was a male and suspect a female he was likely not too intrusive on his search of her "female parts". Women know this and often stash paraphernalia, contraband, and weapons in these areas. He turned away to complete his paperwork and she made a quick retrieval of the knife.

[thvigil11]

That's some good lawyering right there! God bless our court system.

[KestrelBike]

If that's what she looks like as a homeless H addict, what a damn shame. She must have been beautiful before she threw away her life. And an RN? How'd she get to homeless and using H??

[kidicarus13]

How'd she get to homeless and using H??

I'm stating the obvious but it's called addiction.

[Irving]

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. Once there is uncertainty in a juror's mind, getting a conviction is almost impossible. Until you've sat on a murder or attempted murder trial, nothing is black and white. The littlest item can mean the difference between innocence or guilt.

I experienced this first hand. "Reasonable doubt" and being too f'ing stupid to put a series of events together are, unfortunately, the same thing.

[sniper7]

Wow, impressive lawyering right there

[KestrelBike]

I'm stating the obvious but it's called addiction.

well obviously I meant what made her think "Gee I'm already an RN, my life can definitely improve if I use heroin".