Prosecutors drop murder charge against woman in Halden death

A woman in her 40s, initially charged with complicity in the death of Stian Eikrem Karlsen (46) in Halden last August, will not face prosecution after the case against her was dropped, Dagbladet reports.

Her lawyer, Christian Flemmen Johansen, announced plans to file a compensation claim for the five months she spent in pre-trial detention. He stated that his client had consistently maintained her innocence, had no involvement in the death, and had in fact attempted to save Karlsen by calling an ambulance and performing life-saving measures.

“After sitting in custody for about five months for something she did not do, our client is naturally very relieved to finally have it documented that what she has said all along is true,” Johansen said. He added that the case had been widely covered in the media, leading many to assume her guilt, and that she now seeks compensation for wrongful detention and aims to move forward after what he described as a “very traumatic experience.”

A man in his 50s remains charged with aggravated assault leading to death. According to the indictment, he allegedly placed Karlsen in a chokehold until he lost consciousness. Karlsen died of asphyxiation in the early hours of August 7 last year. The man has denied criminal responsibility, claiming Karlsen had taken ketamine and behaved violently toward others in the residence, leading to a struggle. The woman was said by police to have held Karlsen’s legs during the altercation.

The man’s defense lawyer, Morten Andreassen, stated earlier this week that his client acted in self-defense and is relieved the case is no longer classified as murder. The man expects to be released pending trial.