A woman charged with killing her de facto partner has been found not guilty of murder and not guilty of manslaughter.
Lena Kasparian, 33, admitted to stabbing Marc Zartarian at their home at Wetherill Park in south-west Sydney on May 1 last year, but pleaded not guilty to murdering him on the grounds of self-defence.
Relatives of Mr Zartarian screamed and abused Ms Kasparian after the jury's verdict was read out today.
"I hope your children die the same way," a woman yelled towards Ms Kasparian.
![Not guilty ... Lena Kasparian.](/web/20170504100136im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/2/6/p/p/n/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.26pow.png/1348815971700.jpg)
Mr Zartarian's aunt, Rita Keosseian, screamed: "That's not fair; that means every couple can kill each other when they argue.
She continued: "It's not fair for someone to kill someone and go scot-free.
"He was a beautiful young man ... he loved life, he loved kids.
"Its not fair that a 33-year-old, a young handsome boy be under the ground and she walk scot-free."
Mr Zartarian's mother, Katia, collapsed in court and an ambulance arrived. She had flown from Lebanon for the court case.
Ms Kasparian held her head in her hands and sobbed after the verdicts were read out.
Outside the court, Ms Kasparian said she was relieved the trial was over.
"I just want to go and be with my kids," she said.
"I am saddened but there are no winners."
When asked if she felt responsible for Mr Zartarian's death, she replied: "No."
Stabbed in heart
Ms Kasparian claimed Mr Zartarian was drunk and aggressive towards her after they returned home from a first birthday party at the Belrose Hotel on May 1 last year.
The jury of nine women and three men heard that a kitchen knife entered Mr Zartarian's chest, causing a 15-millimetre stab wound, which damaged a ventricle in his heart.
Ms Kasparian then locked herself in the laundry while Mr Zartarian walked around the house making phone calls.
When he called out that he was having trouble breathing, Ms Kasparian said she left the laundry and phoned triple-0.
The jury was played a recording of the call. "He's fine, it's just a small stab wound," Ms Kasparian said.
But the court heard that, when police arrived, Ms Kasparian was distressed and hysterical and told ambulance officers to "keep him alive, keep him safe".
She said he hit her with a stainless steel saucepan and she picked up the knife to protect herself. She allegedly told him to get back but he moved towards her, saying: "Stab me, just do it."
"Yes, I stabbed him but he was attacking me so I had to," she told police. "He's going to live isn't he? I don't think I can have this on my conscience."
Mr Zartarian died in hospital on May 6, 2011 after suffering a brain injury caused by loss of oxygen following the stabbing.
The Crown prosecutor, Pat Barrett, said Ms Kasparian inflicted the stab wound with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm or that she did so foreseeing the risk that death could occasion from stabbing him in the chest.
But Ms Kasparian's barrister, Peter Doyle, said a mobile phone recording of an interview his client gave to police soon after the incident would demonstrate the "emotion" she was experiencing and show that "the issue of self-defence is a real issue".