Contact: Beth Stone- (508) 584-8120
BROCKTON – A Brockton woman previously convicted on first degree murder charges before that verdict was overturned, has pleaded guilty to a voluntary manslaughter charge in the stabbing death of her boyfriend, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Solange Anestal (DOB: 02/03/80) pleaded guilty late yesterday afternoon to a voluntary manslaughter charge in Brockton Superior Court, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in State Prison. Judge Thomas F. Maguire adopted the jointly recommended sentence that Anestal serve 18-20 years in State Prison. Upon completion of her sentence, the defendant will be deported to Haiti, her country of origin. Anestal has been in custody since 2003 on the case.
Anestal was convicted of first degree murder after a jury trial on September 27, 2007. She appealed her conviction and on November 6, 2012, the Supreme Judicial Court overturned the verdict and remanded the case for another trial. Due to this SJC ruling, the Commonwealth would not be able to use other evidence that was presented at the first trial.
Yesterday, Anestal’s defense counsel, Janice Bassil, said that if the case had gone to trial, she would have raised a defense that Anestal was a battered woman and a doctor would opine that due to Anestal’s intellectual disability, post-traumatic stress from her history of abuse and postpartum depression, Anestal believed she was acting in self-defense. This was a defense that was not presented at the first trial.
On June 26, 2003, Brockton Police received a 911 call just before 10:45 pm for emergency assistance at an apartment at 127 Newbury Street. Upon arrival, police found the victim, Baby Petitry (DOB: 07/13/79) of Dorchester, unconscious on the floor bleeding from a wound in his neck and chest area. Petitry was taken by ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Brockton Police investigation revealed that two friends of the victim were present at the apartment that night and reported that an argument ensued between Anestal and Petitry. Petitry attempted to leave the bedroom of the apartment where he and Anestal had been physically struggling and arguing. Petitry managed to break out of the bedroom and held the door closed on Anestal for a time. Witnesses convinced Petitry to release the door and let Anestal out. Petitry stepped away from the door and Anestal came through the doorway and plunged a large shard of broken glass into Petitry.
The original case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Sharon Donatelle and Assistant District Attorney Donna Riordan. The plea was handled by Assistant District Attorney Jessica Kenny. It was investigated by State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Brockton Police.
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