- Title: BELGIUM: MOTHER ACCUSED OF MURDERING "THALIDOMIDE BABY"
- Date: 5th November 1962
- Summary: 1. GV EXT. COURTHOUSE 0.03 2. SV PRISON VAN ARRIVES 0.05 3. MV PEOPLE OUTSIDE COURT. 0.10 4. MV GATES SHUT ON PRISON VAN 0.15 5. MV WOMAN ADMITTED PAST POLICEMEN 0.17 6. MV TWO MORE WOMEN PAST 0.21 7. SV THREE MORE WOMEN PAST 0.24 8. MV PAN WOMEN RUSH UP STAIRS TO COURT ROOM 0.34 9. MV PRESS IN COURT 0.41 10. SV JUDGES ENTER AND TAKE SEATS ON BENCH 0.53 11. SV ACCUSED ENTER, LED BY DOCTOR, SISTER, GRANDMOTHER OF BABY, HUSBAND, AND MOTHER OF BABY 1.04 12. CU DR. AND PAN ALONG THE OTHER ACCUSED 1.13 13. SV JUDGES 1.18 14. CU MOTHER OF BABY 1.23 15. CU DOCTOR 1.28 16. GV PRESS 1.30 17. SLV ACCUSED 1.37 Initials KC/S/KF/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th November 1962 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LIEGE, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVA6B737YALYE7FURR2SDOGB9BIB
- Story Text: ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL MURDER TRIALS OF ALL TIME OPENED IN LIEGE, BELGIUM, TODAY (MONDAY) WHEN A YOUNG MOTHER WENT ON TRIAL ACCUSED OF KILLING HER CRIPPLED "THALIDOMIDE BABY".
THE MOTHER -- 25-YEAR-OLD MADAME SUZANNE COIPEL-VANDEPUTTE -- HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH POISONING HER SEVEN-DAY-OLD CRIPPLED DAUGHTER AFTER A FAMILY COUNCIL. THE BABY BORN WITHOUT ARMS AND WITH DEFORMED FEET AFTER THE MOTHER HAD TAKEN THE DRUG, THALIDOMIDE, DURING PREGNANCY.
THE TRIAL IS THE FIRST IN BELGIAN LEGAL HISTORY TO BE TELEVISED AND OF THE BIGGEST EVER HELD IN THE COUNTRY.
CROWDS OF PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM WOMEN, GATHERED OUTSIDE THE COURT ROOM IN THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE, LONG BEFORE THE TRIAL OPENED. THE COURT ROOM ITSELF HAD BEEN SPECIALLY ENLARGED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED BELGIAN AND FOREIGN JOURNALISTS AND SEVERAL HUNDRED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
FOUR PEOPLE ARE ACCUSED OF AIDING AND ABETTING THE MOTHER. THEY ARE THE FAMILY DOCTOR, DR. JACQUES CASTERS -- WHO ORIGINALLY PRESCRIBED THE THALIDOMIDE FOR THE MOTHER -- HER HUSBAND, A SISTER, AND HER MOTHER. MADAME COIPEL-VANDEPUTTE WAS THE LAST OF THE FIVE TO ENTER THE DOCK.
THE CASE IS BEING HEARD BY AN ALL-MALE JURY OF 12. THE DEATH SENTENCED CAN BE IMPOSED ON THE MOTHER OF THE BABY BUT IN BELGIUM, THE DEATH SENTENCED IS ALWAYS COMMUTED TO LIFE, EXCEPT FOR TREASON. THE PRISON TERM CAN BE REDUCED TO A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS IN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
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