St Ann family found guilty in mentally-ill man's death

A St Ann woman, her husband and three adult sons have been convicted of stoning, then chopping a mentally-ill man to death over a piece of stolen electrical wire.

A seven-member jury deliberated for one hour before returning a unanimous verdict of guilty against Velma Dean, her husband Joseph, and their three sons, Jermaine, Dwight and Richard, for the murder of Stanley McLean in Coltart Grove, St Ann on July 6, 2007.

Velma Dean wept uncontrollably after the verdict was announced down in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

"Oh God, you see and you never fail me," she wailed.

Her son, Dwight also broke down in tears.

The others showed no emotions.

Their attorney Ernest Smith called the verdict a travesty and said the jurors appeared confused. He indicated that they will appeal.

Prosecutors Sharon Millwood-Moore and Hodine Williams and McLean's father Audley, say Velma Dean, now 65 years old, was the person who played the lead role in the killing.

Audley McLean testified that he saw Velma Dean inside his son's house with a machete she was using to chop him all over his body.

He said shortly after he heard her call for a piece of rope, which was used to tie his son's feet and drag him out in the street in front of the Dean's home.

Audley McLean said Velma Dean started chopping his son again.