Judge stops plea-deal hearing after accused disagrees with State’s evidence

A HIGH Court judge stopped a plea-agreement hearing “dead in its tracks” after a Point Fortin man, who was accused of attempting to murder his estranged wife in 2015, did not agree with some of the evidence presented by the prosecution.

“I am stopping this process right now,” Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds said after the man did not agree with the facts presented by the prosecutor at the hearing.

The matter was adjourned to July 15, to give the man’s attorney, public defender Adelphia Trancuso-Ribero, an opportunity to speak with her client to determine his position before the matter progresses.

Ramsumair-Hinds said if the matter had to go to trial, she would do it (set it for trial). “This is not a rubber-stamping process.”

Moments earlier, prosecutor Ravita Persad-Maharaj read out what until that point was the agreed facts in the case.

It is being alleged that on Carnival Sunday, the woman’s ex-husband saw her leaving another man’s home and ran into her with his car, then pulled out a knife and cutlass and began chopping her. She was chopped across her face. He allegedly threatened to kill her as he chopped her. He was allegedly caught by villagers 15 minutes after the attack and the police were called. The knife and cutlass were retrieved and the man allegedly told the police “a rage took him.”

The prosecutor also said the woman had a protection order against her ex-husband which had been breached on a number of occasions.

The woman read out her victim impact statement, telling of her fear and what she endured.

Because of the uncertainty on the future of the matter, the names of the parties will not be published.