– says he acted in self-defence

WHEN the trial of Roger Pilgrim continued before the judge and jury at the Demerara Assizes yesterday, the jury heard that the 22-year-old accused had confessed that he committed the crime.
The prosecution, led by Counsel Natasha Backer and Mercedes Thompson, tendered the voluntary confession as an aid to its case.
Defence counsel, Mr. Huckumchand did not object to the statement and was hinting to the prosecution witnesses that the statement tended to prove that his client was acting in self-defence.
The particulars of the offence is that Roger Pilgrm, also known as ‘Charlie Pants’, had on 22nd of January, when he was 18-years-old, murdered Shane Rowley.
The defence is contending that the crime took place when there was a brawl among neighbours and became fatal after the accused – who entered as a peacemaker – was beaten on his back with a chain.
According to a confession statement which Inspector Singh said the accused had voluntarily given to him after being cautioned, the accused was asleep that morning at his Sophia home when his ‘small brother’ awoke him and told him to look outside. The accused said in his statement that he looked outside and noted that the neighbours were in conflict. He said his brother Sherwin had a burst head and neighbours were in their yard.
The accused said he suspected that something was wrong between Sherwin and Shane and therefore he told his mother to go and find out what was happening.
The accused said he saw Shane push his mother and then he went up to find out what was the story when Shane lashed him on the back with a chain. He looked around for a piece of wood but found instead a long black-handled knife on Shane’s step.
The accused added, “Me pick it up and Shane attacked me and me bore he pon he neck and pon he left side with de knife to defend meh self. And me see blood running down pon Shane and Shane fell down. Me left home and me throw it (the knife) in the bushes in front of me house by de dam. I made this statement of my own free will.”

(By George Barclay)