Frail Kissel still mentally strong

The release tomorrow of the Court of Appeal's decision on the fate of convicted 'milkshake murderer' Nancy Kissel will come as a relief to the jailed woman, sources close to her say.

The delivery of the judgment, five months after her appeal was heard, will end a period of legal limbo for Kissel, 44. She was jailed for life in September 2005 for drugging, then bludgeoning her husband, Merrill Lynch banker Robert Kissel, to death at their flat in Parkview, Tai Tam.

Kissel has a worsening knee injury and is reportedly unable to walk. Recent treatment in hospital has had limited effect, and she now uses a wheelchair.

'Physically she is quite frail,' a source close to her told the Sunday Morning Post. 'But mentally she is very focused on moving ahead. She wants to get on with it and she thinks that she has points that, even if she doesn't achieve much success in the Court of Appeal, she can take to a higher court.'

Those beliefs were based on her dedication to learning about the criminal law, the source said. While she had spent a great deal of time managing and reviewing her own case, she had learned skills that she was now sharing with her fellow inmates.

'She is very active in assisting other women in the prison with their appeals and with legal aid applications,' the source said. 'It took a couple of years, but she has learned to cope in what is a very challenging environment.'