JEROME Franklin and his son, Timmy Franklin, will both be charged with murder following the triple murder at Tuschen 11 days ago when the cane-harvester allegedly ran amok. The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that based on the evidence available and the case put forward by the police, the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has recommended the capital charge for the father and son.

Reports are that the younger Franklin physically restrained Floyd Drakes, one of the three victims, from escaping so his father could to “finish him off.”
Prior to that disclosure, however, his father had tried to clear him of any involvement in the commission of the crime, stating that it was he (Jerome Franklin) alone who had committed the act against his reputed wife’s mother and “sweet-man”.
He was at the time expressing his dismay at the police’s decision to arrest his son after he, the senior Franklin and prime suspect in the killing, went into hiding.
Franklin also denied chopping his nine-year-old stepdaughter, Ashley, to death, saying he flew into a rage and killed his reputed wife’s mother after she attacked him with a cutlass and accidentally chopped the child in her head.
He said he cared too much for the child, whom he had minded since she was a baby, and would never do her any harm. The police, however, did not buy his story, and are relying on the statements from the lone survivor of the attack, Geeta Boodhoo, his reputed wife, to assist them in making a strong case against him.
He again tried to exonerate his son of any wrongdoing by saying that it was not he who told him that Drakes, whom he referred to as the “sweet-man”, was at Boodhoo’s house at the time, but rather a taxi driver who had dropped the man off there.
Eleven days ago, Franklin broke his way into the home of his reputed wife and began a chopping rampage that left his reputed wife hospitalised, and his 55-year-old mother in law, Bibi Zalima Kahn; nine-year-old stepdaughter, Ashley; and 30-year-old Drakes dead.
The man reportedly made his way into the home through some louvre windows which he removed while the family was having a few drinks.
Last week, the man reportedly made contact with a section of the media to which he admitted some aspects of the crime and denied others. He also explained what led to his actions, and his intentions to ensure that he goes to the extreme to get to his reputed wife and her sister, since according to him, they are part and parcel of the entire issue especially his reputed wife’s sister.
Upon getting wind of that threat, the police intensified their manhunt for the man and on Christmas Eve Day, he was found in the Tuschen backlands where he was hiding reportedly to make good on his threat of finishing off his reputed wife and her sister.

(By Leroy Smith)