By Gabriella Chapman

“GOD knows I’m innocent. I wasn’t born to be a killer,” Richard Stanton said in his defense of the alleged murder of Patricia Sanasie on Monday in the Demerara High Court before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a 12-member jury.

Having overruling the no-case submission made on behalf of Stanton by defence attorney Mark Waldron on Friday, July 20, 2018, the trial continued on Monday.

The accused lead his defense by giving an unsworn statement from the box in which he talked for more than an one hour in an effort to convince the jury that he was not the person who shot and killed Patricia Sanasie on the night in question.

Stanton told the court that he worked at Dynasty Club which is owned by his sister who travels a lot. When his sister is away, he manages the said club. Sometime in January 2015, an officer came to his place of employment and took him to the police station for questioning in relation to the murder.

The accused stated that when asked about Patricia Sanasie, he had no idea who the individual was and couldn’t understand why he was being questioned.

He stated that on the night of the murder, he was at his place of work and the staff could attest to that fact. He told the court that his sister was out of the country at the time and he was in charge of managing the business until she returned.
The accused added that after giving his statement to the police he was released and returned to his place of work.

However, three months later, three officers returned to the Dynasty Night Club requesting his presence at the Eve Leary for questioning. He stated that he was placed in the holding area and again, had no idea why he was there. He was then told by an officer that he was going to be part of an identification parade for the murder of Patricia Sanasie. After the ID parade was done a few times, he was identified by the daughter of the deceased, Romona Sanasie as the shooter.

Stanton lamented: “I’m not a killer. I have no reason to kill that lady. It’s not in me to do something like that, I have three sons.”

He went on to share that he grew up watching his mother endure physical abuse by different men in her life, just so that she could provide for her children. He added that, being exposed to such violence demonstrated what he should never do as a man.
“I grew up seeing my mother being abused by different men that came into her life, because she wasn’t that smart, just to provide for us. And I grew up with that hatred for men who abuse women. I did not kill that lady Your Honour. I’m innocent Your Honour. That’s all I have to say,” Stanton pleaded.

Defence attorney, Mark Waldron made his closing address after which the matter was adjourned.

In presenting the State’s case, Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken told the court that at about 06:45hrs on January 12, 2015, tragedy struck Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara, outside the home of the victim, Patricia Sanasie.

As she exited her car to open her gate with her daughter inside the said vehicle, a car came up and she was shot five times by the accused, who walked to her then back to the car he came in which sped off.

The mortally injured woman was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

She related that the police conducted an investigation and the accused was charged for the offence.