The jury at the manslaughter trial of Barbara Cabala started its deliberations late Thursday afternoon after hearing the charge from Justice Patricia Moore as well as the closing arguments from the defence and the Crown.
In his closing, Cabala’s lawyer Geoff Snow told the jury that even though his client strangled her 59-year-old mother, this is a case of self-defence.
He said, “Elzbieta Cabala died because of the pressure applied to her neck by Barbara Cabala.”
However, he added, “She (Barbara Cabala) has consistently maintained that she was acting in self-defence when she was squeezing her mother’s neck.”
During the trial, the court heard that the 43-year-old Cabala had moved back in with her mother at a townhouse at 392 Wilkins St. in south London and that they argued often.
However, on July 7, 2021, things turned physical – and deadly.
Snow told the jury, “The attack on Barbara Cabala by her mother was violent...she wasn’t trying to hurt her mother she was trying to defend herself.”
After that, he told the jury to acquit her, “She was hitting her mother to stop a violent attack.”
Evidence has shown that Elzbieta Cabala died from external neck compression and that she suffered more than 55 injuries.
Charged with manslaughter, Barbara Cabala has pleaded not guilty in this case.
Later, during his closing address, Crown attorney James Spangenberg told the jury that Barbara Cabala was not being truthful about the chain of events on the night in question.
The Crown said, “Barbara Cabala is the one who is the aggressor and attacking her mother and causing her death by strangling her.”
The court has heard that the mother didn’t always agree with her daughter’s lifestyle choices and they fought over issues.
Spangenberg said, “Her version doesn’t make sense...it’s all part of a ruse. What happened is Barbara Cabala lost it. She snapped.”
He told the jury to find her guilty, adding that forensic evidence shows far more injuries on the mother compared to the accused, “She’s not defending herself, she’s strangling her mother and squeezing.”
After the afternoon charge from Justice Moore, it’s now up to the jury to decide which version to believe.
