Relatives joyful after three men acquitted on murder charge

THREE men were yesterday acquitted of a 2010 murder of a man in Cocorite.

There were shouts of joy from relatives of the three after a Port of Spain jury returned not guilty verdicts in their favour.

The three 23-year-old Shawn Villafana, Sherwin Alexander, 32, and Richard “Bulls” Thomas, were before Justice Devan Rampersad in the First Criminal Court, charged with the murder of 24-year-old Amiel George on January 18, 2010.

In April, nine men, all of Sea Lots, were also freed of George’s murder after Rampersad upheld no case submissions from their attorneys, who claimed that State prosecutors had presented insufficient evidence against them.

Those freed in April were Reinaldo Marcano, 36, Raymond Birot, 45, Kurt Serrette, 36, Terrence “Trix” David, 36, Keston Morris, 29, Gerard Hepburn, 26, Keon “Taliban” Lawrence, 26, Joel “Snake” Roberts, 27, and 26-year-old Devon Victor.

Attorneys for the three who remained on trial challenged the prosecution’s contention that the victim’s blood was allegedly found on their clothing when they were arrested hours after the murder.

The defence maintained that DNA evidence presented by the State was inconclusive. It was their contention that the victim’s blood was easily transferable.

The three men were also found not-guilty of manslaughter.

As the verdicts were being delivered, there were short outbursts from relatives in the court. After being told they were to be immediately released, the three men acknowledged the jurors expressing their gratitude. Outside the Hall of Justice, relatives were jubilant, hugging each other and shouting praises. “God is good,” the wife of one of the men said.

The three were also tightly embraced by relatives as they walked through the doors free men. They also lifted one of their defence lawyers, Mario Merritt, in a bear hug.

They were immediately whisked away in waiting vehicles.

George was standing near his home at Harding Place, Cocorite when he was attacked by a group of men, who robbed him of a gold chain before chopping him several times. While no one witnessed the attack, residents claimed to have seen the men fleeing the scene in a maxi taxi.

A maxi taxi fitting the description was eventually intercepted along Wrightson Road in Port-of-Spain, with the 12 men inside. The blood-stained cutlass, which was used in the attack, was recovered inside. DNA was found on the handle of the cutlass but only that of George and none of the 12 men.

The three men were represented by attorneys Wayne Sturge, Merritt, Karunaa Bisramsingh, Alexia Romero and Shenice Edwards.

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