Morris Sentencing Postponed
Will Resume Tomorrow
By Suelika N. Buchanan
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| Richard Morris exiting the High Court. Photo by Suelika N. Buchanan |
Basseterre; St. Kitts: Richard Morris’ sentencing for pleading guilty to manslaughter which was suppose to be passed down today, Tuesday, Oct. 2, was postponed until tomorrow Wednesday, Oct. 3 by His Lordship Francis Belle.
Morris stood in the prisoner’s dock looking pitiful and meek. He looked like someone’s grandfather, not someone who had taken the life of another whether it was voluntary or involuntary manslaughter.
However meek and mild he appears at the Basseterre High Court, his voice was very stern exiting the court and lashing at reporters who were trying to take his photo, “Is everyday y’all must take picture?” he said.
The circumstances surrounding the matter given by the Director of Public Prosecution Paulina Hendrickson was that both Morris and the victim James Williams a.k.a. Cheese were both at the Pig Farm in Conaree Village between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on April, 17, 2006.
Hendrickson said that Eugene Samuel was also in the area and heard Morris calling his name. When he arrived he saw Williams lying in a pool of blood.
~~Adz:Right~~ Samuel said the accused told him that “Cheese had hit him and he had hit him back”.
When the police arrived at Morris’ home he told the police that Williams had beat him and he had stabbed him, to which Williams subsequently died and Morris’ was charged with the crime/
When asked by His Lordship if he had anything to say on the matter his Lawyer Jason Hamilton opted to speak on his clients behalf.
Hamilton told the court that Morris is 64 and has a wife, children and grandchildren.
He said that his client does have a ‘colourful’ past looking at his last conviction in 1991 where he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
“Since then he has avoid the law, tried to change his life, started a successful pig farm business where he had hopes of expanding up to the time of the incident,” he said.
Hamilton continued by saying that Morris did not waste the court’s time and pled guilty trying to avoid escalation with the matter.
He also said that at the time of the incident Morris chose to call for help for the victim and also for the police which were all done before he left the scene of the crime.
He also described Morris as a model prisoner who had been cooperative with the police and the prison guards and has also been helpful.
“It is unfortunate looking at the incident that there was a loss of life, but I beg the court to look at my client’s age and not to inject a custodial sentence but impose a lesser form of sentence still ensuring that justice will be served,” Hamilton ended.
His Lordship said that he does not see the crime as high end manslaughter case but would like to hear from someone from the victim’s family before he cast his sentencing.
The sentencing will resume tomorrow, when the judge hears from Williams’ daughter.
