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Jury frees Canadian charged with trying to kill his wife
Paul Martin while he was in police custody.
vacation in Jamaica, was freed before the Hanover Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon [November 22].
Paul Martin, 43, was freed after a seven-member mixed jury returned a verdict of not guilty on one count of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.
Mr. Martin was charged after he reportedly slashed his wife's throat in Trelawny in December last year.
Government prosecutors led evidence that Mr. Martin slashed his wife's throat on a deserted road in Stewart Castle, Trelawny.
His Canadian wife, Cathy Lee Clayson, who survived the attack, gave testimony at the trial, in which she stated that her husband tried to kill her.
She accused him of slitting her throat twice, adding that he also tried to strangle her.
She testified that she was traveling to the airport with Mr. Martin when he drove onto a lonely road and attacked her.
However, Mr. Martin strongly denied the allegations.
He testified that she was the one who pulled a knife on him and attacked him.
He contended that he was trying to disarm her when she got cut on her throat.
Complainant disappointed
Mrs. Martin's attorney, Nathan Robb, told RJR News that his client is bitterly disappointed with the verdict.
"The jury system was at work and the jury came back with a decision, which as an experienced attorney, I am accustomed to expecting the jury verdict and respecting it. The complainant however, remains resolute that she gave the evidence as to what happened and she was in no way discredited and I dare say that after almost two days of deliberations, she stood up very well but the jury is the ultimate arbiter of the facts," he said.
The jury decided – DPP
And Paula Llewellyn, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who marshalled the evidence, said she respects the verdict of the jury.
"The system of justice in Jamaica means that we always have to respect the verdict of the jury, whether we agree with it or not. The complainant (and) the Jamaican witnesses gave excellent evidence however, in the final analysis; the decision was for the jury.
"The complainant has commended the prosecution’s team for having been extremely professional and having put out our best, however, in the final analysis, the jury decided that the accused was not guilty," Miss Llewellyn said.
Paul Martin while he was in police custody. vacation in Jamaica, was freed before the Hanover Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon [November 22].
Paul Martin, 43, was freed after a seven-member mixed jury returned a verdict of not guilty on one count of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.
Mr. Martin was charged after he reportedly slashed his wife's throat in Trelawny in December last year.
Government prosecutors led evidence that Mr. Martin slashed his wife's throat on a deserted road in Stewart Castle, Trelawny.
His Canadian wife, Cathy Lee Clayson, who survived the attack, gave testimony at the trial, in which she stated that her husband tried to kill her.
She accused him of slitting her throat twice, adding that he also tried to strangle her.
She testified that she was traveling to the airport with Mr. Martin when he drove onto a lonely road and attacked her.
However, Mr. Martin strongly denied the allegations.
He testified that she was the one who pulled a knife on him and attacked him.
He contended that he was trying to disarm her when she got cut on her throat.
Complainant disappointed
Mrs. Martin's attorney, Nathan Robb, told RJR News that his client is bitterly disappointed with the verdict.
"The jury system was at work and the jury came back with a decision, which as an experienced attorney, I am accustomed to expecting the jury verdict and respecting it. The complainant however, remains resolute that she gave the evidence as to what happened and she was in no way discredited and I dare say that after almost two days of deliberations, she stood up very well but the jury is the ultimate arbiter of the facts," he said.
The jury decided – DPP
And Paula Llewellyn, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who marshalled the evidence, said she respects the verdict of the jury.
"The system of justice in Jamaica means that we always have to respect the verdict of the jury, whether we agree with it or not. The complainant (and) the Jamaican witnesses gave excellent evidence however, in the final analysis; the decision was for the jury.
"The complainant has commended the prosecution’s team for having been extremely professional and having put out our best, however, in the final analysis, the jury decided that the accused was not guilty," Miss Llewellyn said.
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