Psychiatrists say Samuel had mental disorder

Shorn Samuel was suffering from a mental disorder when he beheaded Stacy Wilson back on December 11, 2006.{{more}}

The reports of two Psychiatrists, Professor Dr Gerard Hutchinson from Trinidad and Tobago and Nigel Eastman, a Professor of Law and Psychiatry at the University of London, agree that Samuel was suffering from a mental disorder at the time he committed the killing.

The doctors noted that the disorder amounted to an abnormality of the mind, which substantially diminished his responsibility of the offence.

The reports from the experts were presented on Thursday, May 31, as Samuel appealed his conviction and sentence at Court of Appeal, which was sitting in Kingstown. He had initially been sentenced to death.

Samuel’s appeal against conviction for murder was upheld and substituted with manslaughter. As a result, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the appeal court judge, Davidson Baptiste.

Queen’s Counsel Paul Bowen, from the United Kingdom, told the court that, following discussions in chambers of both reports with the two medical experts, which were instructed by the appellants and the Director of Public Prosecutions, it was agreed that Samuel was suffering a mental disorder at the time of the killing.

Bowen said both parties agreed that the conviction for murder should be quashed and a verdict of manslaughter be substituted on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Just before his matter was called, Samuel was seen praying with both hands outstretched in front of his face. He then began rubbing his hands all over his body before walking to the dock for his matter to be heard.

The order the appellants sought was under section 40, subsection 1 of the Supreme Court Act. Bowen noted that, in the opinion of the experts, the sentence would be set out in section 163, subsection 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which will be a sentence of life imprisonment.

Some persons have said Wilson’s killing falls in the class of “the worst of the worst” and have called for Samuel to be hanged.

Stacey Wilson, who would have turned 27 last Friday, was dragged from a minibus at the Leeward Bus Terminal and chopped viciously. She was beheaded in front of a large crowd; her right arm was also severed.

London Privy Council agents Counsel Saul Lehrfreund and Parvais Jabbar were also present at Thursday’s hearing, assisting local attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne in the appeal.(KW)