MIDWAY in the Soufriere St. murder trial yesterday, accused Shawn Sooklall, who had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 39-year old lover, Tricia Welch, in 2006,  dramatically changed his plea to guilty of the lesser count – manslaughter.
Presiding Judge, Justice Roxanne George, who, because of the nature of the case and the plea, will be obliged to take cognizance of the recent murder amendment which provides for sentence between 15 and 20 years, adjourned hearing to Friday, when she will listen to a plea in mitigation by defence counsel, Mr.  Mursalene Bacchus.
Mr. Bacchus has also requested a probation report, which would take about two weeks to be prepared. As a consequence, the judge fixed June 30 as the day for the production of the probation report on the accused.
Thereafter, the judge will listen to observations by the prosecutors, Ms. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Miss Konyo Sandiford, before passing sentence.
Among the witnesses who have so far testified was the 11-year old daughter of the dead woman, Jada Welch, who testified that she was awakened from her sleep on the night in question when she entered the living room in time to see uncle Shawn, the accused standing with a blood-stained knife and her mother in a crouching position, with what appeared to be blood on her body. She went back to bed and when she was awakened next morning her mother was dead.