Shorn Samuel to appeal his murder conviction

When the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal sits later this year, murder convict Shorn Samuel will appeal his conviction.{{more}}

On Tuesday, June 7, Attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne filed an application for fresh evidence to be admitted in the matter where Samuel was convicted and sentenced to death for the December 2006 beheading of Stacey Wilson at the Leeward Bus Terminal.

Bacchus-Browne stated that the appeal is based on a medical report from Psychiatrist Professor Nigel Eastman, whom she said found that the appellant is suffering from paranoid psychotic disorder and personality disorder.

Bacchus-Browne is also appealing on the grounds of diminished responsibility; which in law is a potential defense by which defendants argue that although they broke the law, they should not be held fully criminally liable for doing so, as their mental functions were “diminished” or impaired.

In response, Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams said the prosecution will be tendering an expert report in response to evidence coming from Eastman.

Appeal Court judges Ola Mae Edwards, Ian Mitchell and Davidson Baptiste said that the appeal will proceed on the basis of the expert reports.

The judges ruled that the application to adduce fresh evidence contained in the report of Eastman, filed on May 5, 2011, is granted.

The DPP was also ordered to serve his expert report on or before August 31, 2011.