A woman accused of murdering her elderly husband repeatedly asked police if she was a suspect because of a 'guilty conscience', a jury at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court has heard.
The Fatal Incident in Prestwich
Daryl Berman, aged 71, is alleged to have stabbed her 84-year-old husband, David Berman, at their home in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, on March 13. The prosecution claims she became 'angry and frustrated' and 'lashed out' with a knife. Berman, however, maintains her husband's death was a tragic accident, telling the court he fell onto a knife he was carrying on a lunch tray, resulting in a fatal chest wound.
The jury heard that Berman entered the kitchen of their home to find the great-grandfather face down on the floor and surrounded by blood. Emergency services were called, but initially, police accepted her account of events and did not treat her as a suspect.
'You don't think I've murdered him, do you?'
Despite not being under formal suspicion, Berman's interactions with officers raised questions. She asked them, 'You don't think I've murdered him, do you?' and later stated, 'I didn't do anything', before inquiring, 'Do you really think I've done it?'
When challenged by prosecutor Michael Brady KC about whether a 'guilty conscience' was pricking her, Berman replied, 'No'. She explained her comments by saying she was 'absolutely beside myself with horror and panic' and in total shock, not knowing what she was saying.
Forensic Evidence Turns the Case
The case took a significant turn following two separate post-mortem examinations conducted by forensic pathologists. They concluded that the 2.5cm stab wound to the retired joiner's chest, along with a 'defensive' injury to his middle finger, were more characteristic of a fatal attack than an accident. This pathological evidence forms a 'very large' part of the prosecution's case.
Berman was subsequently arrested. She told the court her mind was 'working overdrive' because the police had not released her husband's body, leading her to believe they were suspicious.
The defence called retired forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd, who has worked on high-profile cases including that of Princess Diana. He described the circumstances as an 'extremely unusual, atypical domestic stabbing' and said death by accident was more likely, though he could not rule out homicide.
Background of the Victim
The court was told that Mr Berman, a well-known member of Manchester's Jewish community, had seen his health decline. He had suffered previous falls and had recently been diagnosed with dementia. Berman denied having a 'glimpse of the future' where she would have to care for him after a fall, or that she acted out of frustration.
Questioned about a 25-second gap between unlocking her phone and dialling 999, Berman stated she was in a 'blind panic' and fumbling, rejecting the suggestion she was composing herself to decide what to tell police. 'I never stabbed him,' she told the jury.
Daryl Berman denies one count of murder. The trial continues.
