Richland Park man to serve six-plus years for stabbing his friend to death

A man who resided at Richland Park was jailed for the first homicide in 2022 when he stabbed his friend to death with a pocket knife during an altercation at a New Year’s Eve party which spilled over into New Year’s Day.

Teno Peters appeared at High Court #2 before Justice Richard Floyd on Tuesday March 26, 2024, where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Representing the Crown’s case was Crown Counsel Alana Cumberbatch, while Kay-Bacchus-Baptiste represented Peters. A New Years Eve celebration took place at a bar in Richland Park on December 31, 2021. Several people attended and alcohol was consumed. As the night progressed and midnight passed, there was general unrest in the bar. The owner closed the bar, and patrons went out into the yard. An argument ensued between Peters and Joseph Michael Mckie.

The argument grew into a physical altercation, and Peters produced a silver and black flip-blade knife which he used to stab Mckie several times. Peters was heard saying “Boy me go stab you up.”

Mckie fell to the ground and was assisted by friends. The police were called in. Mckie was badly injured and was transported to a medical facility.

Peters was also transported to a health centre with a fresh wound above his right ear, bruise to his upper left shoulder and on the left side of his neck. The knife was recovered from the room where Peters was being treated. He was later arrested at the health centre.

Peters told the police that he became injured after a bottle struck him while liming earlier that night. He also told the police that the knife belongs to him and that he used it to stab Mckie. Peters said that the knife must have fallen from his pocket while he was being treated at the health centre. He also told the police that he was consuming strong rum and beer that night, and that he also smoked ‘Empire.’

Peters, however, said he was not drunk but was high. He said he got into an argument with another man, when Mckie became involved and pushed him. Peters then rushed at Mckie, held his throat and pulled his knife from his pocket. Mckie is said to have then scratched Peters on his neck. When they separated, Mckie picked up a piece of steel and approached Peters. Peters rushed towards Mckie and stabbed him in the stomach.

Mckie fell to the ground. Peters blamed Mckie for the injuries to his ear. He received seven stitches to close a wound to the right retroauricular (behind the ear), and two stitches to a wound on his left ear. Bruises were noted to his left shoulder and to the left side of neck. A postmortem on Mckie revealed that a stab wound was inflicted on his anterior chest wall below his external notch.

This wound penetrated into his right ventricle. He also received multiple stab wounds about his body.

The court began with a custodial sentence of 13 years. Aggravating of the offence was that Peters used a knife; the sentence was therefore increased by 1.5 years to 14.5 years. Mitigating of the offence was that there was no evidence of premeditation, this resulted in a decrease in the sentence by .5 year, to stand at 14 years. There were no aggravating factors of the offender. Mitigating of the offender was that Peters showed genuine remorse for his actions, and cooperated with the police; this led to a reduction of a further one year, leaving 13 years.

Peters also received a one-third discount from his sentence resulting in a sentence of eight years and eight months. Time spent on remand which amounted to two years, two months, and 22 days ,was also deducted from his sentence. Therefore, Peters will serve a remaining six years, five months, and seven days in prison for manslaughter.