A man who was charged for wounding with intent was found guilty on Friday, March 6, in the St Mary Circuit Court.
Shawn Wilmott was found guilty in the stabbing of Tajay Thompson with a knife in Oracabessa on February 23, 2011. The case began on Wednesday, March 4, with the complainant, Tajay Thompson recollecting the events on the day in question when the accused stabbed him.
Wilmott, in his testimony, explained that Tajay Thompson was always troubling him at school and he was only defending his brother, Devon Wilmott, who was being attacked by Thompson on the day in question.
The prosecution led by Deputy Director of public prosecution, Sharon Moore called as witnesses the investigating officer and the doctor who treated Thompson’s stab wounds.
On the second day of the trial, the defence led by attorney-at-law Lyndon Cummings called brother of the accused, Devon Wilmott as witness. He recounted that on the day in question he came to Oracabessa to get his identification card. He went to the Oracabessa High School twice; 10:30 in the morning and 4:30 in the evening. It was on his second visit that he met Tajay Thompson and the two had an altercation where Tajay used a cutlass to inflict a wound to his finger. His brother, Shawn then came to his assistance.
Under cross examination by prosecutor the inconsistencies in Devon Wilmott’s testimonies began to show as he denied being to the school twice in one day or approaching the complainant. The day’s sitting drew to a close with both the defence and prosecution giving closing arguments in the matter. Defence Lawyer, Mr. Cummings highlighted to the seven jurors that the law allows someone to defend a person in danger and that his client, Shawn Wilmott did not wound Tajay Thompson with intent.
Prosecutor Sharon Moore implored the jurors to take into account the inconsistencies in the defence’s case and to account for all aspects of the day in question.
Justice Clive Brown directed the jurors that the decision was in their hands to deduce fact from fiction and arrive at a verdict.
The seven member jury on Friday found Mr. Wilmott guilty of wounding with intent . He was taken into custody. He will be sentenced on March 20, 2015 by Mr Justice Brown.
