Morris gets twelve years for manslaughter

ANSHANNA MORRIS may now be able to overcome the demons that haunted her when she was a free woman.{{more}}

The self-professed drug addict and prostitute was sentenced to a 12-year prison term on Tuesday at the High Court for causing the death of Galbert King on December 20, 2008, at Coppa Hole, Rose Place.

Morris, 26, of Kingstown, appeared before Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle and pleaded not guilty to murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Facts read in the court stated that Morris and another man who goes by the moniker “Swacky” were smoking cocaine in his room. The deceased then came in the area with a frozen ham in his hand. Morris took away King’s ham and then a tussle ensued between them.

Morris then took a knife and stabbed King repeatedly about his body. He was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. He sustained five stab wounds.

In mitigation, Morris’ attorney, Grant Connell said that his client was high on drugs and what transpired a year and a half ago was unfortunate. He said that Morris never intended to kill the deceased. “When you consider sentence, consider her position and the purpose that jail would serve,” Connell pleaded. The outspoken lawyer added that being in jail does not address the problem that Morris faces.

In response, Justice Bruce-Lyle jokingly stated that Ham at Christmas time is a very serious commodity for people. He however stated that there is no excuse for killing somebody. “We cannot trivialise killing of persons. This is what has been going on this country,” Bruce-Lyle remarked.

The judge added that it is “most depressing in SVG where all kind of iniquity is taking place.”

He said it was because of Morris’ hallucinating state that she was oblivious to what she was doing. “You have to be punished for it and if I send you to prison, you can keep away from drugs,” Bruce-Lyle stated.