Two brothers from Chaguanas were freed yesterday of murdering their neighbour’s abusive former husband in 2006.
However, their legal victory was bittersweet as only one was allowed to walk out of the Hall of Justice, Knox Street, Port-of-Spain.
Randy and Ronnie Mohammed were before Justice Althea Alexis-Windsor charged with stabbing David Romain to death at his home at Chrissie Terrace, Enterprise, Chaguanas, on March 10, 2006.
Ronnie was released but Randy was convicted of manslaughter after the 12-member jury deliberated for nearly two hours.
It was the State’s case that the two brothers were involved in an argument with Romain, over his former wife Marsha Joseph, when they stabbed him six times.
In their defence, the brothers claimed they went to Romain’s house on the night of his death, after he visited theirs hours earlier and threatened to chop his former wife, who had moved into the Mohammed’s home.
Through their legal team, the siblings claimed that while speaking to Romain, he attacked them with a hammer and they managed to disarm him. They also claimed Ronnie ran away to seek assistance and Romain attacked Randy with a knife.
Randy, through his attorneys, claimed he again disarmed Romain and used the weapon to inflict the fatal injuries.
Besides being told of Romain’s history of domestic violence, the jury was also informed of his numerous convictions for drug possession.
In summing up the case, Justice Alexis-Windsor noted Randy’s claims of self-defence and provocation, the latter of which was accepted by the 12-member jury.
Speaking with reporters after the verdict, 32-year-old Ronnie said he was happy to be freed after spending almost ten years in prison awaiting trial but was disappointed his brother, one year his junior, was not spared.
The sibling’s legal team was unable to present Randy’s mitigation plea during yesterday’s hearing as they asked for time to obtain a probation and bio-social reports for their client.
Randy will be sentenced on September 25, when the new law term opens.
The brothers were represented by Wayne Sturge, Mario Merritt, Vince Charles and Danielle Rampersad. Trevor Jones and Victoria Manun prosecuted.