Man charged in connection with killing of Greiggs youth

Grace Rawlins, the mother of murder victim Terrance John, says she would have preferred if “Moses’ Law” were followed here, rather than the modern day judicial system.{{more}}

Rawlins was present yesterday when Marshall “Marsh” Phillips, a 23-year-old resident of Greiggs, appeared before the Serious Offences Court, charged with the murder of her son. Phillips was remanded in custody and will await the Preliminary Inquiry, scheduled for February 6, 2014.

Phillips is accused of stabbing John with a pair of scissors on the right side of his back and on the left side of his neck after an argument developed between the two. The incident took place sometime around 3:30 p.m. on Monday in an area of Greiggs, called Middle Road.

According to Rawlins, the teen, who turned 16 in July, died in the arms of his older brother, 18-year-old Jamison who “tried desperately to try keep him alive.”

“He had no right to kill him like that,” she said of the alleged killer.

“Imagine the day before, he and Junior cook and eat food together and he turn around and kill my son just like that the next day.

“Nah, that ain’t right!

“Only because is so make so, otherwise it would have been an eye for an eye, and I would have rather that,” an angry Rawlins told SEARCHLIGHT outside the court house yesterday.

John’s cousin, Shanna Rawlins, who stood outside the court with her aunt, says she is still shaken up by what transpired and is “highly annoyed” at the way John died.

“We had a very close relationship. He was like my little brother. Yes he was rude and had a lot of chats in his mouth, but he never use to trouble people unless you trouble him, then he will give you talks.

“I’ve been crying every day since he died. It’s like I lost my own child,” the mother of a two-year-old daughter said.

John’s body will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 13, at the Lowmans cemetery. The funeral will be held at the Lowmans Seventh Day Adventist church. (AA)