Cop to face new trial for murder

A police officer accused of the murder of a St Barb’s resident more than a decade ago will face a new trial after jurors were unable to arrive at a unanimous verdict late Monday.

As a result, Justice Carla Brown-Antoine declared a hung jury and ordered a new trial for PC Anthony Sylvester.

Sylvester was charged with the murder of 29-year-old Sheldon Des Vignes, a labourer with Community Environment Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), on November 9, 2007, at Upper St Barbs, Laventille.

It was alleged that police were responding to a disturbance in the area when Des Vignes was shot.

Sylvester’s defence was one of self-defence.

The jury on Monday deliberated for the full four hours allowed to them but failed to arrive at a unanimous verdict, even after being given additional time to consider the evidence the in the case.

They returned just after 7 pm, saying they all could not agree on a verdict in Sylvester’s case.

Sylvester was represented by Israel Khan,SC, Ulric Skerritt and Alima Alexis.