La Romaine man pleads guilty to shooting man who 'disrespected' his sister in 2003

AFTER more than a little over 17 years in prison, and one inconclusive trial later, Dwayne Nigel Lynch is possibly one step closer to freedom after he pleaded guilty to an unlawful killing in 2003.

Dwayne Nigel Lynch on Wednesday pleaded guilty to manslaughter when he appeared before High Court judge Justice Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo at a virtual hearing.

Lynch, also known as Pagan and Pags, was charged with the murder of Richard Mark on November 22, 2003, in San Fernando.

Waterman-Latchoo said for some time, Lynch had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions asking him to consider allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter, and “later, rather than sooner,” it was accepted.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Lynch was arraigned and allowed to enter his guilty-of-manslaughter plea.

He has spent 17-years and five months in jail, and although the judge will sentence him on May 11, she has hinted that he will likely see his freedom soon.

In 2014, Lynch, now 40, went on trial for Mark’s murder, but it resulted in a hung jury when jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Lynch’s attorneys Larry Williams and Alima Alexis, in a plea of mitigation after the facts of the case were read out by prosecutor Maria Lyons-Edwards, said he had no children.

Alexis said the killing itself was not premeditated but Lynch felt the “need” and “pressure” to protect his younger sister and adopt a fatherly role.

The State’s case is that Mark was liming at the Cabaret Club at La Pique Plaza, La Pique Road, San Fernando when he got into an argument between Mark and Lynch’s sister.

The argument stemmed from an incident in which Mark’s drink fell on the woman.

After Mark left the club, Lynch confronted him, accusing him of disrespecting his sister. Mark replied that he didn’t care about Lynch’s sister or him.

Lynch pulled out a gun and pointed it at Mark. Although the group of friends at the scene did not see blood, but bruises on Mark, they took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem report said he died of a gunshot wound to the chest which caused bleeding, making it the fatal wound. He was also shot in the ankle.

Lyons-Edwards said Lynch walked off. Before the shooting, Lynch and his friends were club-hopping before they got to the Cabaret Club.

In an interview with police. Lynch said he spoke to Mark about disrespecting his sister.

“I pulled a gun and it went off twice,” he said, also telling police, “I eh shoot nobody.”

He was positively identified as the shooter by one of Mark’s friends.

Alexis said Lynch was remorseful for his actions and understood the implications of what he did and the hurt it has caused Mark’s family.

She also said that Lynch, who was a roofer before he went into prison, had a job prospect when he is released, and although there a concern was raised that he will return to the area where Mark’s relatives still live, his other attorney said there was little to fear, as he intended to “disappear” and possibly move to another area.

In acknowledging the concerns of both the victim and the accused, Waterman-Latchoo said it was “sad” that the court had little power after sentencing, as she advocated the need for some sort of “after-care” for prisoners, and possibly halfway houses to assist when they return to society.