A routine morning outside Massy Stores Cul de Sac turned violent on May 7 when an argument between two women ended in bloodshed, leaving Jeanelle Griffin of La Toc Road facing a charge of unlawful wounding.
Griffin appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Leon France on Monday, May 12, where she entered an early guilty plea for stabbing Rosemary Francois of Cul de Sac. The court heard that the incident occurred around 7:20 a.m., sparked by a heated argument over a male acquaintance. Neither Griffin nor the virtual complainant (VC) Francois is employed at the supermarket.
Police Prosecutor Corporal 364 Flavius outlined the facts: Francois was standing outside the store when she greeted a man she knew by touching his clothing. According to the VC, Griffin became enraged, shouting, “My man that’s there, I don’t want anybody touching my man.” Francois allegedly retorted, “Move there, you dirty b…ch,” before entering the store.
Moments later, Griffin followed Francois inside and allegedly threw a Blue Waters bottle at her. Francois threw it back, and the altercation escalated quickly. Griffin stabbed the complainant once in the back and again on the back of the head. Francois was taken to OKEU Hospital, where she received stitches before being discharged. A brown-and-silver switch knife recovered at the scene was entered as evidence.
Griffin, a traffic controller employed by Namalco, told the court she carried the knife solely for opening canned goods from the supermarket, not for any other purpose.
When Magistrate France asked why she should be granted bail, Griffin tearfully replied, “I have a child to watch over.” Her daughter is three years old. The magistrate pressed further: “When you were fighting, you didn’t remember you had a child to take care of?”
“I had a lot I was going through, and the woman insult me; that’s why I react, Your Honour,” Griffin explained, adding that she had been standing outside with a male friend when the confrontation began.
Despite her guilty plea, Griffin told the court, “Like is the devil that was around.” She admitted her actions and expressed willingness to accept responsibility, citing serious family issues that morning that contributed to her reaction after Rosemary “insulted” her.
Magistrate France noted he could not proceed to sentencing without hearing from the virtual complainant, particularly regarding potential compensation. He remarked sharply, “You end up in a fight for someone who is not even your man; that makes it worse.” Griffin clarified that the man was merely a close coworker.
