Man get away with murder

[Me]

Security guard found not guilty of nightclub murder
Thursday, 04 December 2008
Thirty-seven year old security guard, Newton Nelson, who was charged in 2004 with the murder of a St. Andrew businessman outside the Quad Nightclub in New Kingston, walked free from the Home Circuit Court on Thursday.

A 12-member jury found Mr. Nelson not guilty for the murder of Harry Harris, 28.

At the trial, Government prosecutors led evidence that on August 5, 2004, Mr. Nelson used a knife to stab Mr. Harris outside the nightclub.

It was reported that Mr. Harris was at the Quad Nightclub with friends when a dispute developed with Mr. Nelson.

The police say both men left and went outside the club along Trinidad Terrace when Mr. Nelson reportedly pulled a knife and stabbed Mr. Harris in the abdomen.

Mr. Harris then opened fire with his licensed firearm, hitting Mr. Nelson in the thigh and ankle.

Both men were taken to hospital where Mr. Harris died while undergoing treatment, while Mr. Nelson was admitted.

But in his defence, Mr. Nelson, a deportee, denied stabbing Mr. Harris.

He said he was standing along Trinidad Terrace when gunshots rang out and he was hit by a stray bullet.

A friend of the deceased testified that he saw Mr. Nelson standing within three feet of his friend with a knife in his hand on the night of the incident.

But under cross examination from defence attorney Peter Champagnie, the witness admitted he and his friend had been drinking, but he denied a suggestion that he was drunk and did not see what happened.

The jury returned the not guilty verdict after retiring for 40 minutes.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/13840/26/

[Historian]

Surely in a country where the judiciary is to a great extent in a shambles, where the police high command has virtually thrown in the towel as far as the assault on crime is concerned, where any form of protection for witnesses cannot be guaranteed, where intimidation and extortion is a fact of life, where only about 35 percent of homicides are solved (meaning a lot of murderers are strolling on the streets free), surely this cannot be news!!?

Or am I missing something here?

[Karl]

Based on the report carried in the paper I would also vote not guilty.
There was really no evidence that the accused had harmed Mr. Harris.

Sure they had an altercation inside the club...sure they went outside...

...but what occured outside?
The report only says the friend came out and saw the accused standing on the sidewalk with a knife.

What about evidence from the investigating officer(s)?
Knife recovered?
Mr. Harris' blood on the knife?
Mr. Harris' blood on accuser?
...witnesses to the stabbing?
No words from Mr. Harris, who was supposedly incharge of his faculties such that he could pull his weapon and shoot the accused...no word by Mr. Harris to anyone saying how he came to be stabbed?

...just friend of Mr. Harris seeing the accused on the sidewalk and jumping to a conclusion that the accused had done Mr. Harris in?

Bwoy - The accused may have committed the crime...but he may not have...??? Not guilty!

[Mosiah]

35%?!? HAHA!

So, our forensic scientists are unable to determine from whence came the bullets, or from whence they could not have come?!?!

Justice denied!

[Mosiah]

It is clear to me that the investigation was puerile and botched. All your questions are valid and there are more to be answered.

In any decent country, or even one with an inept and fragile judicial system, this case would have been better investigated, tried and judged.

Joke ting! Everyone was denied justice here.

[Bricktop]

A deportee working as a security guard? Isn't that like getting the fox to guard the henhouse?

[Lazie]

A deportee working as a security guard? Isn't that like getting the fox to guard the henhouse?

Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

[Me]

Based on the report carried in the paper I would also vote not guilty.
There was really no evidence that the accused had harmed Mr. Harris.

Sure they had an altercation inside the club...sure they went outside...

...but what occured outside?
The report only says the friend came out and saw the accused standing on the sidewalk with a knife.

What about evidence from the investigating officer(s)?
Knife recovered?
Mr. Harris' blood on the knife?
Mr. Harris' blood on accuser?
...witnesses to the stabbing?
No words from Mr. Harris, who was supposedly incharge of his faculties such that he could pull his weapon and shoot the accused...no word by Mr. Harris to anyone saying how he came to be stabbed?

...just friend of Mr. Harris seeing the accused on the sidewalk and jumping to a conclusion that the accused had done Mr. Harris in?

Bwoy - The accused may have committed the crime...but he may not have...??? Not guilty!

Karl,

Other people were there and saw the guy stab him. They just did not take part in the case. It is a known fact that he stabbed the guy. The defense was just able to get him off.

[Bricktop]

A security guard with a criminal background?

[Historian]

A security guard with a criminal background?

This is actually a very good, really relevant question, Bricktop, but then again in today's wild west Jamaica, anything seems to go, includign an obvious lack of effecient background checks.

But you asked a good question.

[Mosiah]

because the prosecution was wukliss!