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Jun 22, 2018 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News
Delon Henry, called ‘Nasty Man,’ who was charged for the murder of a ‘Back Circle’ footballer, Dexter Griffith, three years ago, was found guilty yesterday.
Henry killed Griffith, formerly of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, on September 29, 2015 at ‘Warlock’, East Ruimveldt Georgetown.
Yesterday, a mixed 12- member jury panel returned with a unanimous verdict before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Georgetown High Court.
However, prior to arriving at the guilty verdict, the panel, which had spent hours in deliberation had announced to the Courtroom that the members could not reach a decision in the matter.
The jury was deadlocked six-six but, Justice Kissoon inquired from the panel whether he could assist them with further directions to help them to arrive at a verdict.
In response, the foreperson detailed the difficulty that members of the panel had with certain aspects of the evidence presented in the trial. The Judge obliged the jurors on the questions asked and the jurors retired for a second time to deliberate.
This time, the panel took less than 45 minutes to deliberate and return to the courtroom with a guilty verdict.
The judge nonetheless did not proceed to pass sentence because an attorney for Henry requested a probation report. The request was granted and the matter was adjourned to July 5, 2018 for sentencing. During his trial, Henry denied any involvement in the crime.
Earlier this week, pointing out that he was nowhere close to where the shooting took place, Henry told the court, “I living till on the East Bank (of Demerara), and I don’t even know the area, ‘Warlock’.”
He said that during his time in police custody, he complained to police ranks and he told them, “I don’t know about this murder. I did not shoot anybody.”
Through his lawyer, Adrian Thompson, Henry indicated that he had no witnesses to call on his behalf.
State witness, Police Corporal Munilall Persaud testified that on October 6, 2015, he was performing duties when he received certain instructions from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Trevor Reid.
Based on what he was told by his superior, Corporal Persaud told the court that he contacted Henry who was in custody at CID, Headquarters.
The witness went on to tell the court that in his presence, ASP Reid informed Henry that he would be conducting an identification parade, and that his photograph will be placed among those of other persons of similar description.
The court heard from the police witness that Henry was informed that investigation into the murder of Griffith was the reason for his photograph being placed on an identification parade. The murder accused was cautioned and had no objections to this being done, the witness disclosed.
Detailing the lineup of the identification parade, Corporal Persaud recalled that a photograph of Henry was placed in the #10 position, and that Keshawn Griffith, the brother of the deceased, later went on to point out Henry as a suspect in the killing.
He added that Henry was once again cautioned by ASP Reid, who had informed him that he was identified as a suspect. During cross-examination by counsel for the murder accused, it was put to Corporal Persaud that Henry did not tell ASP Reid he had “no problem” with the identification parade.
In fact, the counsel suggested to the witness that his client had only told police that his photograph was published, the day (on October 5, 2015) prior to the identification parade, in the newspapers in which he was labelled a suspect. The matter was presented by State Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt.
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