Penal man sentenced for killing childhood friend

A PENAL man who fatally stabbed his childhood friend during a confrontation in 2023 has been urged by a High Court judge to use his remaining years in prison to prepare for life after incarceration.

Leon Sherwin Baptiste, 23, was sentenced on May 15 by Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds for the death of Carlyle “Blacks” Hamilton. Although charged with murder, Baptiste pleaded guilty to manslaughter by provocation in a plea agreement with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. His sentence was reduced to just under nine years after deductions for his good behaviour, guilty plea and the time he has already spent incarcerated.

“You will be nearly 30 when you are released,” the judge told Baptiste. “There is so much you can do in those eight years. Get yourself ready. Society is changing. You’ll be coming back out after a decade locked up. Remember what you did. You are the lucky one, another man is dead.”

The judge acknowledged the pain Hamilton’s family had to endure, noting that no sentence could truly ease their suffering. Still, she stressed the importance of rehabilitation and transparency in sentencing.

“It serves us all for a safer TT to try and rehabilitate them.”

“While I can’t give the family their pound of flesh, our focus must be on creating a safer society. That includes rehabilitating offenders like you,” she said.

According to the evidence, the killing followed a heated argument six days earlier, when Baptiste, reportedly intoxicated, confronted a group of men, including Hamilton, over a conversation he overheard.

He allegedly returned with threats, claiming he was going for his guns and telling one person he would “empty the clip” in his stomach and kill the others.

On the day of the incident, September 8, 2023, neighbours saw Baptiste with a knife. He repeatedly claimed self-defence, telling police he was attacked and injured by Hamilton, and was also beaten by others. Baptiste said Hamilton struck him with a jump kick, knocking him down, and the two then struggled before he fatally stabbed Hamilton in the neck with what he described as “a piece of iron.”

Hamilton died from a single stab wound, according to the post-mortem report.

Baptiste was represented by attorneys Jason Jackson and Krysan Rambert.