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Celine murder: Accused asks to change plea

WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.

Original Post Date: 2007-08-14 Time: 00:00:00  Posted By: Jan

Another child murder trial is to come before the Cape High Court on Monday when James Barnes – accused of murdering four-year-old Celine Cowley – will ask to change his guilty plea to one of not guilty.

Barnes claims that he had been pressured to plead guilty.

The State is opposing his application to change his plea.

In September, Barnes pleaded guilty to the murder as well as charges of rape and indecent assault.

Barnes, 37, had been renting a room in the Cowley home in Ravensmead on July 30, 2006 when Celine went missing.

Two days later, her half-naked body was found buried under a pile of leaves in the yard of a neighbouring house.

Barnes was later arrested and he appeared in the Bellville magistrate’s court.

In a statement he said he knew what he was doing when he killed Celine, even though he had been drinking.

He admitted he had raped her, indecently assaulted her and that he used a pair of panties to strangle her.

He said he killed her so she could not identify him.

Barnes was convicted and the case was transferred to the High Court.

But, when he appeared in the High Court he said police had assaulted him and pressured him into confessing and he denied he had anything to do with the murder.

Barnes said he had been taken to a magistrate in Goodwood to make a statement, but that he refused to go ahead with it because it would not have been made freely and voluntarily.

Monday morning will be the fourth time that Barnes appears before the Cape High Court. The case has been delayed for various reasons.

One time, Barnes appeared in court with a bandage wrapped around his head and a bloodied top and his counsel informed the court that he had been assaulted in prison and that his life was in danger.

At another court appearance three months ago, Barnes applied to have his conviction set aside but the state said it would oppose the application and asked for time to prepare.

    • URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click…/p>