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Crippled youth charged with murder of Durban Street waitress
…also remanded for shooting at former magistrate
Murder accused, Shelton George being escorted out of the courtroom by police ranks
Seated in a wheelchair with a urine bag hanging between his legs, murder accused Shelton George had to be lifted by police ranks from the tray of a vehicle and into the lockups at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The 22-year-old of 146 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara was captured two Wednesdays ago at his residence. He has been confined to a wheelchair for the past few years as a result of a gunshot wound he received to the back.
Yesterday, George was indicted before Magistrate Judy Latchman for allegedly killing Debra Blackman, a 48-year-old waitress, of Critchlow Circle, Tucville, Georgetown, in 2014.
He was also charged for shooting at former Magistrate Mohamed Fazil Azeez on April 25, 2015.
Particulars of that charge alleged that George discharged a loaded firearm at Azeez with intent to commit murder. The accused, who was represented by Attorney Melvin Duke, was not required to plead to any of the indictable charges.
Based on reports, Blackman was performing duties at the Delicious Chinese Restaurant, D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, on August 23, 2014, when she was shot by an unmasked gunman. The woman had been working there for close to 15 years.
On the other hand, Former Magistrate Azeez is still bedridden after being shot once to the stomach by a man believed to be George. According to reports, Azeez was shot by a man who fled leaving a bag of money behind.
Kaieteur News understands that the shooter went to a site where Azeez was building a house, under the pretext that he was looking for a job. The shooter reportedly approached Azeez to inquire about work, during which time he shot him.
In his address to the court, Attorney Duke disclosed that he would only be representing the accused on the murder charge, for which he requested a “very speedy” preliminary inquiry.
Duke argued that there is no eyewitness to the alleged murder and that his client was charged based on video surveillance, which he said, is of very poor quality and three years old.
Murdered: Debra Blackman
According to the lawyer, George sustained spinal injuries from a gunshot wound he received to his back. Information received is that George was shot twice to his back in Suriname by Kellon Hinds, who was hiding out there after murdering Sherwyn Barrow. Barrow was killed execution-style in May 2015. After shooting George, Hinds came back to Guyana in September 2015 and was gunned down in retaliation for the death of Barrow.
As regards the attempted murder charge, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves opposed bail for George on the ground that Azeez is still bedridden. Prosecutor Gonsalves also cited the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. And the fact that George has pending matters for robbery under-arms at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
Before the hearing concluded, George begged the court to allow him to seek medical attention. He claimed that he fell off a chair while in custody at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters and that detectives had refused to take him to the hospital.
George was remanded to prison until next week Thursday. He will also be attending the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on that day for continuation of trial in the robbery matters.
George is still under investigation by police for the murder of Bernadette Campbell, 40, who was shot in a minibus at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara in August 2014.
Campbell was sitting in the front seat of a minibus when she was shot to the stomach by a bandit who stopped the minibus and demanded that its occupants exit the vehicle, after which two rounds were discharged hitting the woman. (Feona Morrison)
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