Two for sentencing tomorrow
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - HOPELESSLY deadlocked at 9-3 for each men, the case against Sheldon 'Sword' Cannonier and Ishaun Wilkes ended yesterday (Mar. 19) in a hung jury.
Both men were each charged with one count of assault with intent to commit a felony; an offence they allegedly committed against Lincoln Liburd on May 18, 2011.
Cannonier was represented by Attorney-at-Law John Cato and Wilkes by Attorney-at-Law Fitzroy Eddy.
The prosecution had called five witnesses to give evidence in the case which began on March 6, who included the victim, the investigating officers and persons from the Magistrate Court and Immigration Department.
Liburd testified that at about 1:30 p.m. on the said date, he was taking some boxes from his boss' vehicle at Warner's One Stop in Bird Rock when he heard the slamming of a vehicle door and saw two persons with guns in their hands running towards him.
He said after freezing for three to five seconds, he ran upstairs and locked himself in a room.
It was however revealed that at the Preliminary Inquiry, Liburd had given evidence that the men whom he saw approaching him were Wilkes and Cannonier, but testified at the trial that he did not see who went after him.
Later in his testimony, he said the reason for his inaccuracies were because he was told that the police needed to get the accused men off the road and certain things he was promised were not forthcoming.
After the prosecution rested its case, Counsel for the defence, in the absence of the jury, made no case submissions, which were not granted by the Court.
Both accused took the stand in an effort to prove their innocence. They however did not call any witness to give evidence on their behalf.
Following the closing arguments by counsel on both sides and the judge's summation, the jury retired for deliberation shortly before noon yesterday and returned at 4:00 p.m. deadlocked.
An application was then made by the prosecution to have the matter traversed to the May 2013 Criminal Assizes to be retried. This was granted by the Court.
In other Court news, two men, after being found guilty of attempted murder by suffocation on January 28, 2013, would finally be sentenced tomorrow (Mar. 21).
Up for sentencing are Akeem ‘Sheddy’ Parris and Javonne ‘Junie’ Hendrickson.
The men were found guilty by a 12-member jury of attempting to murder Derrick Sawyer of St. Paul’s Village by suffocation.
