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'Sex taunts sparked killing'
05/06/2008 19:33 - (SA)
Grahamstown - An Eastern Cape man was the target of "devastating" sexual taunts from his wife before he allegedly killed her, the High Court heard here on Thursday.
"Her refusal to withdraw the divorce proceedings against him, along with her taunts that she was having best sex of her life with her lover, would have been devastating psychologically, and emotionally overwhelming for him," said clinical psychologist Ian Meyer.
"Retrospectively, his mental state appears to have deteriorated precipitously from the time he received a summons for divorce."
Jan Wilhelm Marx, 41, of Philpot Street, Steytlerville, is on trial for allegedly shooting dead his wife, Marita, 38, at their home on May 3 last year.
Marx had pleaded guilty to the murder on the grounds that he had acted with diminished responsibility, but this was rejected by the State and Judge Clement Sangoni changed his plea to not guilty.
Lover tells of relationship
The court heard that Marx tried to commit suicide after the shooting, by drinking Temik, a highly toxic pesticide.
Meyer said on Thursday there was a pathological co-dependency between Marx and his wife that was greatly exacerbated by her alleged infidelity.
Marx may not have been able differentiate between right and wrong and act accordingly, Meyer told the court.
Defence witness Hendrick Alberts, 23, said he stayed with the couple for five months and had a sexual relationship with Marita.
He said: "Something did happen between me and Tannie Marita and I had sexual intercourse with her two or three times a week.
I know it was wrong, but I am not made of stone. She satisfied me and I satisfied her," said Alberts.
"She treated him (Marx) very badly and... abused and humiliated him in front of others."
Marx, who is severely disabled and walked with extreme difficulty, wept as he listened to Alberts' testimony.
- SAPA
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