Man wounded in cutlass attack in Kingstown

Raphael “Butter Bread” John is lucky to be alive.

John, who was released from Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) on Saturday, July 22, after serving a nine-year sentence for manslaughter, was on Friday, August 11, chopped several times while in Middle Street, Kingstown.

The aftermath of the attack was filmed by onlookers and the video placed on social media. It went viral.

A witness told SEARCHLIGHT that John was at a business place in Middle Street, when a man approached him and chopped him in the back of his neck.

John fled, but was pursued by his attacker and chopped at least four more times. He received serious wounds on his arms, chest and right leg before his attacker fled.

Despite the vicious nature of John’s attack, he is now in a stable condition at the MCMH.

Reports are that John’s attack was spurred by an altercation in which he was involved while an inmate at the HMP. Persons with knowledge of the situation said John was seen by the man he had the dispute with while in prison and the man attacked him from behind.

John was imprisoned for unlawfully causing the death of Ashley Warren, a 29-year-old fruit vendor of Largo Heights. Warren was shot on January 22, 2009 at Long Wall, Kingstown.

As he left court after being sentenced, he warned persons to stay away from trouble, as prison is not an easy place.(LC)