St Thomas man freed of policeman's murder after nine years

After being in custody for over nine years awaiting trial, 25-year-old Javaughn Blythe of St Thomas was on Friday acquitted of the murder of Constable Dwayne Chisolm.

The jury deliberated for four hours before returning the not guilty verdict.

Blythe was also tried for the murder of civilian Gawayne Lewis but the jury failed to arrive at a verdict and a retrial was ordered.

Attorneys-at-law Peter Champagnie and Kemar Robinson, who represented Blythe, made a bail application at the end of the trial.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, who presided at the trial, offered Blythe bail in the sum of $250,000 with surety.

He is to return to court on December 14 when the case against him for Lewis' murder will be mentioned.

The Crown led evidence that the policeman and the civilian were fatally shot at a nightclub in Yallahs, St Thomas on April 25, 2009.

A policeman and a civilian testified that Blythe was in the company of another man at the club and that they witnessed him shooting the men.

However, under cross-examination, it was disclosed that one of the witnesses who pointed out Blythe at the identification parade was uncertain as to his identity as the witness had contemplated pointing out another person on the said parade.

It was also pointed out under cross-examination that the other witness, who was a policeman, had emphasised Blythe's identification by his hairstyle and clothing.

In an unsworn statement from the dock, Blythe said he was innocent of the charges.

He suggested that one of his relatives may have been at the scene of the crime and that there may have been a mix up with his identity.

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