While two suspects in the attempted manslaughter of two men have been allowed to await trial at large, the third suspect has been detained for more than 15 months. Her lawyer asked Monday for the pretrial detention of 66-year-old Geleen M.K. to be lifted. But the court will not agree, much to the defendant's chagrin.

The substantive hearing of the case that shook much of Geleen did not take place Monday morning because the prosecutor fell ill. Only attorney Serge Weening was present on behalf of his client M.K., who was in contact with the court via a telephone link to the Ter Peel prison.

Shocked

Weening requested that K.'s pre-trial detention be lifted or suspended, because the woman has been detained for more than 15 months and society will no longer be shocked if she is released. Moreover, he finds it crooked that the two other suspects are at large and she is not.

According to the deputy district attorney, however, the "shock ground" is still there because an innocent passerby was victimized, neighborhood meetings were called and there was a lot of media coverage.

The court stated that a substantive hearing of the case must follow quickly, or else it would consider releasing K. on a provisional basis. The woman heard the decision that she remain detained in tears.

Photo

K. has long lived at odds with her downstairs neighbor. On August 31 last year, the quarrel escalated. In the process, an innocent cyclist from Geleen also fell victim. He took a picture of a parade number on the road surface in the Van Banninglaan, which he had previously painted on the road surface as a member of association Soos van de Baan. K., however, thought he was taking a picture of her and her argument with the neighbor.

K. allegedly stabbed the cyclist with a paring knife, her son is suspected of hitting him with a baseball bat. The ex-husband's role is the smallest, he was released a year ago, but he too is charged with attempted manslaughter.