Report says he is not fit to plea
A psychiatrist has ruled that a man who is accused of murdering a two-year-old is unfit to stand trial at this time. This, despite the insistence of residents of Lewis District in St. Ann, that the man is not mentally ill. Devon Jarrett, a 42-year-old of Lewis District near Priory in St. Ann, was arrested in August and charged for the murder of two-year-old Jahiem Cooper also called ‘Jay’ of Lewis District. Jarrett is also charged for seriously wounding another man. The wounded man has since been released from hospital. Jarrett appeared before Resident Magistrate Andrea Thomas in the St Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrates on Friday, September 12. He still does not have legal representation. RM Thomas said according to the psychiatric evaluation report, Jarrett is unfit to plea. Jarrett is reportedly in need of further treatment.
In court on Friday, Jarrett told the magistrate that he was dreaming of ‘ghosts’ dressed in black and white and said those ‘ghosts’ are waiters. He also told the court about a man in his community, who he said, gave him a piece of sugar cane to eat, and a knife. He said the man told him to eat the sugar cane and that it was ‘Cain who killed Able’ and that the ‘father’ would forgave him for what he has done. Jarrett said the man is a prophet and that he didn’t know he had harmed the child until someone told him. A sister of the accused man, who was present in court, said although she had not seen Jarrett for some time, she was unaware of his mental status and doesn’t know of him having any history of mental problems.
Jarrett is to under further psychiatric testing ahead of his return to court on November 18. He was further remanded into custody. It is reported that on August 21, Jarrett was involved in a dispute with another man in Lewis District. During the dispute, Jarrett is alleged to have used a knife to cut the man on his throat. Residents who became aware of the incident chased Jarrett and he ran into a nearby yard. Young Jahiem was reportedly playing inside his yard with another child. It’s reported that Jarrett grabbed the young child and used the knife to slash his throat. The child was rushed to hospital, but died while undergoing treatment. Jarrett was handed over to police and subsequently charged. Residents in the area have said that Jarrett is not mentally ill and should be prosecuted for the child’s death.
