Stephanie Lawrie, the woman who allegedly fatally stabbed her brother during a fight at their Better Success, Essequibo Coast home, was yesterday charged with killing him and released on $400,000 bail.
Lawrie, 24, a poultry farmer and mother of a five-year-old child, appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court, where she was charged with manslaughter.
As she stood in the prisoner’s dock, Lawrie was not required to plead to the charge, which stated that on August 25th, at Lot 2 Better Success, she unlawfully killed her brother, Maxton Orlando Lawrie.
According to the police’s case, on August 25th, at around 1am, a drunken Maxton went home and started to abuse his parents, Maxwell and Tosomattie Lawrie, and his sister, Stephanie.
He allegedly dealt his father a cuff to his face, after which he went to the door of his sister’s room and kept knocking. He demanded that she open the door and started calling her names.
As a result, she eventually opened the door and an argument ensued.
At the time, Maxton was armed with a knife, which he reportedly raised to his sister and, in an act of self defence, she allegedly pushed him, causing him to fall forward on the knife, which resulted in him suffering a fatal stab wound to the abdomen. Stephanie then began to scream and alerted her family to what had occurred.
Maxton Lawrie was immediately rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor.
Stephanie Lawrie was represented by attorney Latchmin Dindyal, who applied for reasonable bail for her while telling the court that an unfortunate situation led to the death of her brother.
He noted that Stephanie has no prior matters in court and she is not a flight risk and is willing to lodge her passport with the police until the matter is completed.
Dindyal told the court that his client had to be brought from the Suddie Public Hospital, where she was being treated, to the court. He appealed for bail to be granted, while noting that she would be taken back to the hospital to continue treatment after the hearing.
With no objections to bail by police prosecutor Haimwant Ramsewack, Magistrate Scarce set bail at $400,000. Stephanie Lawrie was also ordered to report to the Charity Police Station every Wednesday and Saturday at 9am.
The matter was adjourned until September 26th.
