JUST OVER A YEAR AFTER SHE WAS INDICTED FOR MURDERING her husband, Janet Mercereau is in the dock this week facing a jury for the crime. FDNY Fire Marshal Douglas Mercereau was shot three times in the head while he slept on December 2, 2007. On March 8 of last year Janet was indicted for the crime. (See the Firegeezer report HERE.)
Douglas Mercereau
The trial got underway on Tuesday of this week with opening arguments.
The jury will hear that:
- On the night of the murder she had given her two little daughters ear plugs to wear while they were sleeping. It was suspected that she did it so they would sleep through the gun reports.
- An autopsy helped determine that she waited more than two hours after her husband was shot before calling 911.
- When detectives arrived, she allegedly told them she had just showered several times. Mercereau’s 9mm service revolver, cleaned of prints, was found near his body, and her freshly washed clothes were in the dryer.
- Later forensic examination disclosed that the gun had been run through the dishwasher. Whoever did it, though, left the ammunition clip in it while it was being washed and the lab was able to retrieve fingerprints and DNA samples from it.
On Wednesday the prosecution wanted to present evidence of a shell casing and bullet fragments found in the basement to contend that Janet had practiced shooting the gun earlier, but the judge disallowed it because there was no proof that it was her who shot the weapon in the basement.
The prosecution also put forward two motives, one is fianancial according to the Staten Island Advance:
(The prosecutor) said Mrs. Redmond-Mercereau benefited “significantly” from nearly $800,000 in life insurance and pensions, plus the Tarring Street house, appraised at $522,000, following her husband’s death.
The widow stands to receive $350,000 from from the Uniformed Firefighter’s Association; $330,000 from the FDNY’s pension insurance; $84,000 in pension insurance; $15,500 from a John Hancock life insurance policy; $8,500 from the Fire Department’s life insurance policy; and $11,000 from Prudential Insurance.
He also pointed out that there was dissension between the two because of Mrs. Mercereau’s weight and it led to an estrangement. The 5′-3″, 240-lb. defendant was reportedly irate over his continual haraguing about her size.
Janet Mercereau
(N. Y. Daily News photo)
Thursday Thomas Mercereau, Douglas’ brother, broke down on the stand while answering questions about when he had last seen his brother. Throughout the first three days of the trial Janet has sat expressionless and unemotional the entire time.
The trial continued today. Firegeezer will update when information comes available.
Janet was under suspicion for the murder almost immediately because of the circumstances. When Mercereau’s funeral was held it was widely noted that the FDNY broke with tradition and refused to present the widow with the dead firefighter’s helmet as a token of honor.
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