A SEEMINGLY sad Stafrei Alexander, 2017 recaptured prison escapee, was on Thursday afternoon sentenced to life imprisonment after a 12-member jury found him guilty in the proportion of 11-1 for the March 23, 2015, offence of attempted murder at Laing Avenue.

As he was exiting the Demerara High Court, Stafrei Alexander told reporters that he was innocent of the offence and the justice system was unfair to him.

Relatives were equally shocked when the sentence was handed down in a packed courtroom on Thursday afternoon.

Justice Sandil Kissoon told the court that having read the probation report which was prepared in November 2017 at his first trial, he noted that the convict was separated from his parents at age five and he was very frank in his discussion with the probation officer.

However, the judge added that the facts and evidence presented in court aided the decision handed down.

After a lengthy plea of mitigation by defence counsel Stanley Moore who perused the probation report said that the convict was 35 years old and was born in New Amsterdam, Berbice and was left to care for his two younger siblings after his parents separated.

His mother migrated to the US when he was only five-years-old and he lived with his maternal grandmother and he befitted from technical training.

Moore added that he had a troubled upbringing and was sentenced to two years in jail for escaping lawful custody during the Camp Street Prison inferno when a group of high profile prisoners bolted.

The attorney stated that Alexander’s attitude towards the offence was contrite and asked the court for mercy in its sentencing.

In response, state prosecutor Lisa Cave told the court that a strict penalty should be imposed considering the nature of the offence, the injuries the victim received, a weapon was used and the number of shots fired. She also added that the convict disappeared from the scene and later escaped from custody when he was arrested.

She told the court that Alexander had other charges pending.

The trial started in early June in which Alexander appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury in the Demerara High Court.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was given the opportunity of a new trial before a different judge.

In presenting the state’s case, state prosecutor Orinthia Schmidt told the court that the accused was indicted for two counts. The first count was for attempt to commit murder and the second count for discharging a loaded firearm with intent (alternative counts) which took place on March 23, 2015 at Laing Avenue.

She said on the date in question at about 12:30am, the accused discharged a loaded firearm at Curtis Thom with intent to murder him.