KFC manslaughter trial begins…
A Judge and jury at the Demerara Assizes yesterday heard how accused KFC security guard David Chesney shot and killed O’Neil Adams while the latter, who had committed a robbery, was handcuffed and unarmed.

Justice James Bovell-Drakes and the jury at the Demerara Assizes heard the story being related to the mixed jury by Prosecutor Miss Prithima Kissoon in her opening address at the trial of David Chesney for the offence of manslaughter.

Chesney has pleaded not guilty and is being represented by Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Vidyanand Persaud.

According to the Prosecutor she will show from the evidence the circumstances surrounding the death of O’Neil Adams.

The facts disclosed that on the 25th February, 2005, the accused, a security guard employed with Didco and attached to the KFC, was on duty at the outlet on Water Street in the Stabroek Market area. At about 10:15h on that day, the deceased, O’Neil Adams, robbed a cambio dealer of money in the vicinity of Water Street, and with the men in pursuit, he ran for refuge into the KFC outlet. There he was apprehended by the accused who was armed with a revolver and handcuffs at the time.

The accused sought to arrest him and subdue him by placing handcuffs on his hands. Two shots were fired and O’Neil Adams died as a result of two gunshot wounds.

According to the Prosecutor the State is saying that in all the circumstances of this case, especially taking into keen consideration that the deceased was handcuffed and unarmed, the accused unlawfully used his revolver, that is, he used excessive force in the apprehension of the deceased , in that he used his revolver recklessly or he was so grossly negligent he caused injury to the deceased which resulted in his death.