Mayaro man: 'I found Jesus in prison'

Marlon Lampkin celebrates his freedom outside the San Fernando High Court on Thursday yesterday, after being found not guilty of murdering his mentally ill uncle in 2011. Lampkin had spent eight years in prison awaiting completion of his trial. PHOTO BY LINCOLN HOLDER
Marlon Lampkin celebrates his freedom outside the San Fernando High Court on Thursday yesterday, after being found not guilty of murdering his mentally ill uncle in 2011. Lampkin had spent eight years in prison awaiting completion of his trial. PHOTO BY LINCOLN HOLDER

MAYARO crane operator Marlon Lampkin, 46, walked out the San Fernando High Court a free man yesterday after a jury found him not guilty of killing his "mentally ill" uncle in 2011.

A jury deliberated for about three hours before giving the verdict before justice Althea Alexis-Windsor.

Lampkin’s uncle, Francis "Rock" Augustine, 56, died on January 18, 2011, after receiving injuries at Jemmott Street in Mayaro. The State contended that he died as a result of blunt force trauma but the defence argued that Augustine fell and received the injuries which led to the death.

Speaking to Newsday outside the court, an elated Lampkin said he looked after his mentally ill uncle. Lampkin, the father of one from Radix Village, said he received a call from his wife who said Augustine fell after eating a plate of food back in in 2011. He later died.

Lampkin said he reported "everything to police and 23 days later they locked me up for the crime."

"On Valentine Day’s in 2011, I went to prison. I am contemplating taking legal action against the State for being in jail for eight years and for destroying my character. I lost my house, my car and wife. She said she moved on, but we are very good. She loves me and I love her. We will work it out from here," Lampkin said.

He accused police of charging him for murder without doing a proper investigation.

Lampkin suggested that the State establishes different categories of murder saying many murder cases were often changed to manslaughter cases "ten, 12, 14 years after a person is charged."

He publicly thanked "most" of the prison officers and prisoners he met in jail saying not everybody in prison is guilty of the crime they are accused of.

He said while in jail, he turned to God. He said, "I found Jesus in prison. I joined the full gospel church with Ms Pascall and I got baptised. I was more on a religious walk in jail because I did not find it fit to pick up any skills because I already have a high-paying skill as a heavy-machinery operator."

Attorneys Raydon Dalrymple-Watts and Maria Lyons- Edwards represented the State while defence attorneys Jason Jackson and Kathyanne Campaine-Jackson represented Lampkin.

He praised both his family and attorneys for their support while he was incarcerated.

"The family support was great. Relatives, the people who are closest to you, are the ones who you would see, not your Facebook friends."

He also had a message for people charged with murder.

"My attorneys are the best. I am telling anybody if they want to be in my position, a freed man, Mr Jackson is the man to get into contact with. I feel great right now and I am looking to go into some kind of business from here," Lampkin said.

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"Mayaro man: ‘I found Jesus in prison’"

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