Merlene Abrams, aunt of Trevor Fenty, a 17-year-old student of the St. Mary’s High School who was stabbed by another student on 27th September, has decided not to press charges.
In a telephone interview, Abrams revealed that she no longer has any intentions of pressing charges against the young man who, according to eyewitnesses, used a pair or scissors to stab her nephew.
When asked why she chose this line of action, she stated that when she spoke to the mother of her nephew’s attacker, “she looks really sick, like she aint able with something like that if it was to happen.” As such the woman stated that in the best interest of the boy’s mother, she decided not to press charges.
She said that her decision to not press charges was aided by the fact that medical examinations have revealed that her nephew, Trevor, had thankfully not sustained any serious sounds. “We went to Balwant Singh to get a second opinion and they tell we that he wounds not very serious, but that he still had to be careful how he moved about.”
Merlene mentioned that when she went to the police station to speak to Trevor’s attacker and his mother she did not take her nephew because she did not want him in their presence. Once she arrived at the Brickdam Police Station, she said she was told that if she decided to press charges, then charges would also be brought against her nephew.
According to the assailant’s mother as well as ranks present, the assailant had also had a medical examination which revealed that he had sustained an injury during the altercation. Abrams said she found this strange and wondered why this was not mentioned earlier.
When asked if this revelation was a contributing factor to her decision not to press charges, she said no. “I was prepared to press charges and to press hard charges”, she said. “I had already spoken to my lawyer and he had instructed me what to do in the matter, but when I see the boy mother, she look sick, like she aint able with nothing.”
The woman maintained that it was the fear that the woman might become more ill through the ordeal that led to her decision not to press charges.
Abrams stated that though the assailant would not be seeing any court or prison time, “he should receive some sort of counselling as he obviously needs that kind of help.” She also recommended that schools enact stricter rules against the presence of weapons in schools.
