NASSAU-Accused murderer Donna Vasyli still doesn’t know if she’ll be tried a second time for the murder of her husband.
Philip Vasyli, a world-renowned podiatrist, was found stabbed to death in his Bahamas mansion on March 24, 2015.
Donna, his wife of 34 years, was arrested and charged with his murder later that day.
She didn’t testify at her trial and the defense suggested that the killer possibly slipped past the 24-hour security at the gated community.
Prosecutors highlighted that there was no sign forced entry. The murder weapon came from a knife block in the kitchen. And Philip’s body was found in a locked home.
A jury convicted Donna of murder and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison in November 2015.
But in July 2017 the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and sentence. Two members of the tribunal ordered a retrial. A third judge said a retrial would not be in the interests of justice.
Donna appealed that decision for a retrial to the Privy Council.
The Privy Council judges narrowed the appeal issues down to two: Was there a sustainable case against Donna Vasyli? And should they order a retrial or send the case back to the Bahamas Court of Appeal to decide?
In a ruling delivered on March 2, the judges found that Donna had a “case to answer” on the murder charge.
They allowed the appeal, set aside the initial order for a retrial, and sent the case back to the Court of Appeal “for reconsideration of whether there should be a retrial.”
Donna remains on $250,000 bail until then.
Copyright Bahamas Court News. All rights reserved.
