Murder accused committed to asylum

Aug 05, 2011 News

– medical report deems him unfit for trial

Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire yesterday ordered that murder accused Kenrick Heywood be admitted to

Murder accused: Kenrick Heywood

the National Psychiatric Hospital after an independent medical evaluation which was done by Dr. Bhiro Harry, showed that he was unfit to stand trial.
Heywood was accused of killing Jairam Shivram on November 18, 2003. He was committed to stand trial in the High Court on January 13, 2006.
Yesterday, as the matter came up, State Prosecutors Prithima Kissoon and Konyo Sandiford prosecuted the matter.
Based on the medical report done by Dr. Harry it was concluded that Heywood was suffering from psychosis which is an abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a “loss of contact with reality”.
The examination also showed that Heywood was also schizophrenic, a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness.
This resulted in Heywood having illusions and hallucinations, therefore he could not understand the proceedings.
Heywood was thus deemed unfit to stand trial, and he was committed to the National Psychiatric Hospital.
It was also ordered that after treatment and re-evaluation, if he is deemed competent, Heywood would have to be reconvened to the Georgetown Prisons where he will await a trial.