John Berry (85) from Clacton, UK, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of ten years for the murder of his wife Edna Berry. He ended his wife’s life “in a fit of rage” with a hammer and chisel.
The horrific incident took place on February 21 at their shared home in Essex County. According to his own statements, John Berry “lost his temper” and attacked his wife Edna, who suffered from dementia. He used a hammer and chisel to inflict such severe head injuries on her that the 80-year-old died.
Shortly before the crime, he had gotten medicine for his wife from the pharmacy. He came home and saw that his wife had fallen. Berry wanted to get her back up. But his wife fought back and ‘kicked and scratched her husband’. The 85-year-old then lost his patience.
Woman dies of ‘catastrophic injuries’
After the incident, he didn’t call the police until two hours later; his wife was still fighting for her life. However, emergency services were unable to save the woman and she died a short time later from “catastrophic injuries” in hospital.
When asked by a police officer how much force he had used, Berry responded, according to the minutes, “Apparently not enough.” His wife shouted his name until the end, the BBC quotes.
Family members acknowledged mistakes
Although Berry had been his wife’s primary caregiver for 20 years, he had previously refused support or additional care assistance. Only family members were allowed to help. However, they admitted that they “might have done more” to exonerate Berry.
He himself regards the murder as a “misplaced act of mercy”. Berry and his wife – the two were married for 61 years – vowed when they were young that they would never “deport” the other to a nursing home. The marriage was very happy before the illness.
Source: Krone
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