Stabbing murder accused in tears as family attend court
A young man accused of fatally stabbing a 39-year-old man at an inner-city apartment has spoken to his family through glass during his first court appearance.
A young man has repeatedly broken down in tears after seeing family members in court during his first appearance after allegedly stabbing another man to death at an inner-city apartment.
Jonah Francois Charpentier, 22, of Bowen Hills, faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday dressed in a green prison jumpsuit and brown jumper.
Charpentier had originally not been required to appear, but the police prosecutor told Magistrate Julian Noud that he had family members present who wished to see him.
The accused man spoke briefly to three family members in court from behind the glass screens of the dock before breaking down in tears and holding his face in his hands.
The accused was charged overnight with murder after a 39-year-old man was allegedly fatally stabbed following an argument.
Police were called to a multi-storey apartment block on Hamilton Place in Bowen Hills in Brisbane’s inner north about 4.15am on Sunday.
Officers discovered the 39-year-old man with life-threatening stab wounds to the chest and back. He was transported to the hospital but was declared dead a short time later.
During a brief court appearance on Monday, Charpentier’s solicitor told Noud she was seeking a four-week adjournment.
There was no application for bail and Noud adjourned the matter until May 6 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.
Charpentier again turned to his family members and broke down crying when Noud adjourned the court for a morning tea break.
Acting Detective Inspector Murray O’Connell said the victim was involved in an argument with two other people in an apartment before he was stabbed.
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He said the victim had attempted to remove himself from the crime scene before emergency services arrived to assist.
Det Insp O’Connell said it was a traumatic scene for first responders.
“There was some blood there, as you would expect given the stab injuries,” he told reporters on Sunday.
He said a 22-year-old man and 45-year-old woman, both known to the victim and believed to live at the Bowen Hills apartment, assisted police with their investigations on Sunday afternoon.
