OVER the past weeks there have been two notable acquittals, namely Carol -Ann Lynch and Desiree Jeffers. The first woman mentioned was freed of all charges pertaining to the death of her former husband, the Swiss Cambio owner, while Jeffers was acquitted of the alleged killing of her much younger reputed husband, Igris Bob-Blackman. Two women charged for murder in apparent open and shut cases but who were, somehow, able to convince jurors with their versions of the events, which subsequently earned them their freedom. In the case of Carol-Ann Lynch this was her second trial.
Many were the critics who still believe that these two ladies “got away with murder” due to the fact that so much circumstantial evidence was stacked up against them. But like the O J Simpson case, circumstantial evidence was not enough to secure a conviction; hence, they were acquitted, freed of all charges. So one would now have to sit down and piece together the puzzle to see how the two got through.
Then, you would not have to think very hard to arrive at an answer. Integral to any trial, murder being a prime example, is the taking into consideration of the prevailing circumstances. In Guyana today, the prevailing circumstances speak volumes where men are concerned in their abuse and/or killing of women. So the facts are crystal clear; whenever a woman is supposedly brought in on grounds of murder there is an overwhelming possibility that she would be acquitted. Sympathies lie with the woman. Whenever that case comes up for trial, the tone and content of the case goes in favour of the female gender. So it would be very difficult to find an unbiased jury, men included, who would attempt to bring her in guilty. Try as they would, courts in Guyana today would be hard pressed to find jurors who would go against that inner conviction of seeing women who are constantly abused by heartless and cruel men further burdened with a conviction, far less incarceration. This is the cold, hard reality of the whole scenario we find on woman – man relationships in Guyana. It paints a very dismal picture for men in a Guyanese society.
So my candid advice to all abusers and would be abusers of women is to come clean and fly right because too many factors militate against you.

Neil Adams