A Hawaiian woman who killed a substitute teacher in front of her daughter was convicted with a chance at parole despite protest by the prosecution.
This month, an Oahu Circuit Court jury found Hailey Dandurand, 26, guilty and convicted her of second-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary for the brutal death of Telma Boinville. Despite prosecutors’ plea for the jury for the defendant to be sentenced to the harshest punishment of life without the possibility of parole, they unanimously agreed to do otherwise with a chance of parole when she receives her sentence on Nov. 15.
“Please give her a chance, even if it’s 30 years from now, or 40 years from now — she is a human being with morals and values. This is a life sentence. This is the death penalty,” said Dandurand’s mother Sunshine Dandurand as she pleaded with the jury, according to Law & Crime.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Dandurand and her ex-boyfriend Stephen Brown, 29, who was also convicted for the same charges at a separate trial, were equally culpable for the gruesome murder. However, the defendant’s lawyers argued Brown was abusive to her; hence, Dandurand believed she might be killed if she did not follow his orders.
“Although the jurors are instructed not to be swayed by emotion, pity, passion or prejudice, I can’t ignore the fact that mom and grandma gave impassioned testimony on behalf of the defendant and that couldn’t have been lost on the jury,” said Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell, according to Hawaii News Now.
On Dec. 7, 2017, Dandurand and Brown burglarized a vacation home in Pupukea where 51-year-old Boinville worked as a house cleaner for extra money to support her 8-year-old daughter. During the burglary, the victim stumbled upon the duo before they attacked her violently with a machete, knife, and a mallet. Furthermore, Brown and Dandurand kidnapped and tied up the victim's daughter while taunting her about her mother’s death.
Seven hours later, and through many social media campaigns, the couple was caught and apprehended after they fled the crime scene in Boinville’s truck.
On the other hand, the jury gave the judge the option to sentence Brown to life without the possibility of parole. He awaits his sentencing on Aug. 30.
Boinville emigrated to the U.S. from Brazil.
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