–to know fate Nov. 23, for Laing Ave. attempted murder

AN 11-member jury on Monday afternoon found recaptured prisoner, Stafrei Alexander, 34, guilty for an attempt to commit murder on March 22, 2015 at Laing Avenue, Georgetown, but he will not know his fate until November 23, next, when he is due to be sentenced

After deliberating for about four hours, the jury, one of whom was discharged, returned to the courtroom and delivered the verdict in the proportion of nine to two.

The verdict was delivered before Justice Brassington Reynolds, where defence attorney, Stanley Moore, after the verdict was announced made a plea of mitigation and asked for leniency in the sentencing.

In the State’s response, Prosecutor Lisa Cave said that any punishment considered and handed down by the court to the accused must reflect the abhorrent nature of the crime committed, and the circumstances under which it was done.
It must likewise deter like-minded individuals from committing such an offence.
Cave, who noted that the accused used a gun to do the act and the number of times he did, reminded the court that the victim is still suffering from the injuries he sustained and is due to undergo another surgery shortly.

However, with a probation report on Alexander to be presented, Justice Reynolds adjourned sentencing to November 23, 2017 at 13:30 hrs

Initially, at the opening of the trial, State Prosecutor Tiffany Lyken, while addressing the court said that in the case of the State versus Alexander, the victim is Curtis Thom who resides at Lot 138 Laing Avenue, Georgetown, with his wife, children and sister-in-law, in an apartment situated on the lower flat of a wooden range house.

She related that though the victim is known to the accused for about 10 years, they are not friends. On March 22, 2015, Thom held a christening in celebration of his newborn baby at his home and the event ended at about 01:00 hrs the next morning.

Lyken told the court that Thom cleaned his front yard and went to the back to feed his dogs and encountered the accused, who, when he passed him, grumbled something. She added that Thom proceeded to lock up his dogs and go into his house via the back door and by his back, as he was of the belief that with a newborn in the house, he should enter that way to prevent evil spirits from entering.

At this point, Lyken said that as Thom was entering his house, he saw the accused in front of him and heard a loud explosion, then felt a stinging sensation to the right side of his chest. The accused was said to have been about six feet away, and was pointing a shiny revolver and discharging the weapon at the victim.

She told the court that Thom asked the accused, “What the (bleep) you shooting at me for?” And as he was falling to the ground, she said, he heard two more explosions. He started to scream, and managed to crawl into his house, by which time he felt a stinging pain on the left side of his back.

Lyken said Thom related that nothing was blocking his view from seeing the accused, whom he recognised since there was adequate light.

She said there were no eyewitnesses to the incident given the time of day, and while no gun was found, the victim has injuries to show and spent seven weeks in the hospital after surgery.