James Kesselly, the 26-year old man who allegedly killed his girlfriend last Saturday following a quarrel over another woman, made his first appearance in court yesterday, begging for pardon.

Police charged suspect James Kesselly with murder and forwarded him to the Monrovia City Court for trial. He was later carted away in a waiting vehicle to the Monrovia Central Prison.

With tears streaming down his cheeks while on his way to prison, suspect Kesselly briefly told our reporter: "I have no justification for my action against my fiancée because what I did was demonic, but I only want mercy."

"I just can't believe that this demonic act was committed by me. I'm not a killer but a loving father with two kids. Please pardon me for God's sake," he stressed, apparently referring to the state and the murdered woman's family.

Police records revealed that suspect Kesselly was asleep at Rockspring Valley Community behind Capitol Bypass that fateful night when his fiancée allegedly woke him up at about 3:00 am to say that someone was trying to force the window to open.

Kesselly got up and cut off the light in the room and positioned himself near the window with his sharp blade knife in readiness for the alleged arm robbers.

Police said he also alleged that the robber forced the window open. By then his fiancée had left and was somewhere near the window.

In an attempt to hit the robber's hand, according to the police quoting the suspect, the force caused the weapon to gash his fiancée in the chest, inflicting serious wounds on her left breast.

After realizing that he had struck his fiancée in the chest, he began screaming for help. And with the assistance of some residents, the victim was taken to the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

But family members of the deceased have a different account of what really happened.

They said Nancy, now survived by two children, had rejected a suggestion from Kesselly to allow another woman with an infant child to live with them in one room. She said Kesselly was not getting enough money to support them.

She went to her mother's house and reported the matter. She later returned home only to face a fight that ended with Kesselly stabbing her to death, according to family members.