Biabou resident gets 10 years for ‘crime of passion’

Biabou resident Debert James had a blank look on his face when Justice Wesley James sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment for causing the death of Jeffrey Carlyle “Pound” Forde, at the High Court on Tuesday.{{more}}

During the High Court Criminal Assizes on December 13, 2012, James, who was initially charged with murder, changed his plea from not guilty to murder, to guilty to manslaughter.

On July 4, 2011, Forde, 56, succumbed to several chops about his hands, face and neck, following an argument with James.

The case put forward by the prosecution was that James and his girlfriend were walking in the direction of the Adelphi Secondary School when they were approached by the deceased and his girlfriend, and an argument ensued.

That argument is said to have begun between the two women about a week prior to Forde’s death.

During the case, some witnesses gave different accounts of who first pulled a cutlass.

As both men engaged in a skirmish, James sustained a chop wound to his head, while the deceased was chopped several times.

In mitigation, James’ counsel, Duane Daniel, told the judge that his client was always cooperative throughout the police investigations and noted that he did not deny chopping the deceased.

Daniel noted that his client is completely remorseful for his actions.

Describing the incident as a “crime of passion”, Daniel said the deceased was the aggressor at the time.(KW)