Woman gets 8 years for killing best friend

Apr 26, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Angelique Williams, the woman who was arraigned for stabbing her best friend to death in May 2015, has been sentenced to serve eight years in jail for the killing.

Angelique Williams

The sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court around noon yesterday.
Before a packed courtroom of curious onlookers, both Williams and her Attorney, Mark Waldron, beseeched the court for mercy. Their petition came following a probation report which was presented to the court.
Williams was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when her matter came up for trial before Justice Singh on April 6, last. A request for the probation was made on that date.
According to the indictment, Williams fatally stabbed 20 -year old Lloyda Renita Thomas to death on May 21, 2015 at Versailles, West Bank Demerara.
Williams stabbed her best friend (Thomas) multiple times with a broken bottle after a heated argument. Thomas, a mother of one, was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. She was pronounced dead on arrival.
The two friends resided at Sunflower Close, South Ruimveldt. They had been imbibing at Aracari Resort prior to the incident.
Williams who is also known as “Angie,” was treated at the same hospital after slashing one of her wrists. She had repeatedly said that she was very sorry for what transpired and that she was ‘high’ at the time of the incident.
Williams appeared unmoved as she sat in the prisoner’s dock listening to the presentation of the probation report yesterday.
The report outlined that as a child, the accused endured a hard life, as both her parents passed away while she was at a young age.
During her teenage years, the young woman is said to have been forced to look out for herself, as she also lost her older brother in a motorcycle accident.
As a result of the traumatic experiences, Williams is said to have developed a habit of slitting her wrist and using marijuana.
The probation report noted that the Williams failed to complete her secondary school education; she constantly dropped out of school.
Following the presentation of the report, Williams was given an opportunity to address the court.
“Your honour I wish to express my sincere regret for what happened.”

Lloyda Renita Thomas

The young woman told the court that there is not a day that goes by that she does not feel sorry about what happened between her and her friend, whom she called her “sister.”
Then turning to those who were seated in the courtroom, Williams apologized to her family and the family of the deceased.
While she acknowledged that no amount of sorry can bring her best friend back to life, Williams asked the court for mercy.
“I would like to go home so that I can attend a university and study psychology,” she added.
Similarly, her attorney, Mark Waldron, in a plea of mitigation, asked the court for leniency.

Alluding to the fact that his client encountered hardships in life, the attorney asked the court to consider a suspended sentence.
“Life has been rough on Angelique. What she needs are therapy, love and understanding,” the lawyer stated.
His words brought Williams to tears.
However, State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy asked the court to consider that the life which was lost in handing down a ruling.
The Prosecutor noted that the victim was not only a mother of a young child but that she was pregnant at the time of her death.
“She was in the first trimester of her pregnancy and sustained 22 stab wounds.”
But, while handing down his sentence, the judge noted that the accused took full responsibility for her actions.
Justice Singh said that it is truly unfortunate what happened between the two young women. “But this offence carries a term of imprisonment,” the judge asserted before sentencing the accused to serve eight years behind bars.