Fish vendor sentenced to 57 years for murder

Jun 19, 2014 News

Forty- nine year old Quaison Jones called ‘Blondie,’ was yesterday sentenced to fifty -seven years imprisonment for the murder of fish vendor, Marlon Greene.
Jones, also a fish vendor from Lot 255 West Ruimveldt was indicted for the murder, which took place on January 17, 2011.
He denied the allegation that he had murdered Greene in the vicinity of Meadow Bank, East Bank Demerara, during a heated argument. The victim was stabbed several times about his body.
During the trial, Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh concluded that the victim died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to stab wounds. Greene’s jugular vein and windpipe had been severed.
After almost five hours of deliberation yesterday, a mixed panel of Jurors returned to the courtroom of Justice Navindra Singh and announced that they had reached a unanimous guilty verdict for the accused, for the offence of murder.
“All I know is that it wasn’t me,” Jones said as he stood in the dock following the verdict.
His lawyer, George Thomas begged for leniency.
“I would ask the court’s mercy … I ask that the court take into consideration that the accused had earned an honest living until this incident, which is his first brush with the law and that he has been in prison for three years pending trial.”
Silence resounded as Justice Singh made his ruling.
“I will not impose the maximum penalty… I have noted that you spent three years in prison which will bring your sentence to fifty-seven years.”
Outside the courtroom relatives of the accused gathered. Some cried injustice at the ruling while others noted that such a sentence should be appealed.
Prior to the ruling, the Judge had briefed the panel in accordance with the rules of deliberation.
“You are to review the evidence and decide what the facts are in this case… You are free to refute or accept the views of either the prosecution or defence but it must be based on fact.”
“Your decision is either that the prosecution has proven its facts beyond the shadow of a doubt. If there is still doubt in your mind at the end of the deliberations, then you must find the accused not guilty. Your decision must not be influenced by fear, favour or prejudice or public opinion.”
During the trial, State Prosecutor, Judith Gildharie-Mursalin called five eyewitnesses to the stand.
Businessman Steven Vieira, a resident of Meadow Bank, his daughter Michelle Vieira, Andre Vieira, Nicholas Isaacs and the victim’s brother, Rondell Singh, were all witnesses to the crime.
Steven Vieira recalled that on the day in question he had looked out of his window and saw the accused and the victim fighting. He claimed that he saw ‘Blondie,’ pull a knife and begin to stab Greene. Vieira said that Greene was like a member of his family.
Vieira said that he shouted and ran from his house to where the men were, in an effort to stop the fight. However, before he got there, Greene was already wounded. He said that the wounded man was quickly hoisted into a vehicle and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Michelle Vieira said that she heard a loud argument and saw what appeared to be a fight between ‘Blondie’ and her cousin (Greene).
“I see ‘Blondie’ and my cousin, and my brother André look like he trying to part them… I see Blondie hands moving up and down. At the time, I thought ‘Blondie’ was cuffing Marlon because I was running towards them.”
She said that when she got close enough, she noticed that ‘Blondie’ had a long knife in his hands. The knife had what appeared to be blood on it.
“Marlon was lying on the road. On the left side of his neck had a hole, blood was pouring out of it.”
Andre Vieira told the court that he witnessed the stabbing as he was in the victim’s company that day. He said he tried to stop the fight. He recalled that the two men had a misunderstanding two days prior to the incident.
The victim’s brother recounted that he also tried to separate the two men.
“When I push Blondie, he turn to me and say, ‘watch how yuh mek I kill he’. Then he left and run straight at the back of the wharf and get away.”
The final witness Isaacs recalled that Jones was standing over Marlon “stabbing away at him”. Isaacs said that he aided in rescuing the victim from his attacker, but noted that the injured man bore grave injuries about his body.

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Fish vendor sentenced to 57 years for murder

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