DENISE Hilliman was acquitted on Wednesday after a jury at the Demerara High Court returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict in her trial for attempted murder and felonious wounding.

The decision, handed down before Justice Damone Younge, concluded the legal proceedings stemming from a violent altercation that took place in July 2021.

The charges against Hilliman alleged that on July 11, 2021, she intentionally sought to murder her neighbour, Otoley Whyte, during a violent confrontation at Lamaha Reserve, Georgetown.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, the jury was also tasked with considering a lesser charge of felonious wounding.

The incident occurred in the midst of a heated dispute between the families of the two women.

According to reports, the altercation began when Quincy Whyte, Otoley’s brother, became involved in a gambling-related disagreement with Hilliman’s sons.

Whyte intervened, attempting to diffuse the tension, but the situation escalated further when Hilliman entered the fray, resulting in a verbal exchange between her and Otoley.

The confrontation intensified when Hilliman allegedly armed her sons with a cutlass and a knife, while she herself wielded a knife.

According to Whyte, she overheard Hilliman instructing a male companion to “chop” her, though the order was not carried out. At this point, one of Hilliman’s sons allegedly discharged a gun into the air, though the weapon malfunctioned.
As chaos erupted, Whyte attempted to separate the conflicting parties but was reportedly stabbed by Hilliman with a pitchfork in the side.

Despite the seriousness of the injury, Whyte initially saw little bleeding but later lost consciousness and was rushed to surgery after it was discovered that she had suffered a life-threatening chest wound.

Medical evidence presented in court confirmed the severity of the injury.

After deliberation, the jury acquitted Hilliman, delivering not-guilty verdicts for both the attempted murder and felonious wounding charges.

Hilliman’s defence was led by Attorney Konyo Sandiford, while Prosecutors Abiola Lowe and Yonika Rowland represented the State.