Tyrone Rowe called ‘Cobra’ was yesterday released from prison after completing his sentence for the 2010 killing of Troy Collymore, who he shot after a robbery at a Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, pharmacy.
Rowe’s attorney Mark Conway confirmed his release to Stabroek News.
Just over a year ago, Rowe, who was initially indicted for murder, pleaded not guilty to the capital offence but threw himself at the mercy of the court as he admitted instead to the lesser offence of manslaughter.
He accepted that on August 5, 2010, he unlawfully killed Collymore, called ‘Colly’ and ‘Nelly.’
Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a charge of armed robbery, which stated that on the said day, being armed with a gun, he robbed Chandrika Datt of a gold chain.
Justice Navindra Singh would later sentence Rowe to 15 years for the killing and nine years for the armed robbery. He ordered that the sentences be served concurrently.
The judge had further ordered that deductions be made from the time Rowe was arrested in 2010.
Time had also been deducted for Rowe’s guilty plea and good behaviour while incarcerated. Following all the deductions, Rowe was left with just about a year to be served.
Rowe had thrown himself at the mercy of the court after being faced with a second retrial after a successful appeal of a prior murder conviction.
Expressing his remorse to Justice Singh, Rowe had begged the judge for lenience, while stating that he was truly sorry for what had happened, and wanted to be given an opportunity to care for his mother, whom he said had been diagnosed with cancer.
Noting the lengthy time Rowe had been behind bars, Justice Singh had asked him his plans once released. Asked specifically what he intended to do in the line of work, Rowe said, “I will go and work.”
When asked, he had told the judge that while behind bars, not only had he been rehabilitating himself, but he had been exposed to learning trades as well.
For his part, Conway had said that his client had utilised anger-management sessions and had attended craft classes while incarcerated. He advanced, too, that Rowe had also exhibited good behaviour and had shown signs of rehabilitation.
Following a trial in 2013, a jury unanimously convicted Rowe for murdering Collymore. He had then also appeared before Justice Singh, who sentenced him to 78 years in jail.
Rowe would, however, later appeal his conviction, which was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which also set aside his sentence, before ordering a retrial.
During the second trial, which commenced before Justice Sandil Kissoon, however, a mistrial had to be declared on grounds of prejudicial evidence being referenced to the extent that the accused could no longer be regarded as having a fair trial.
Justice Kissoon had explained that this could not be remedied with instructions to the jury, and in those circumstances, and in the interest of fairness and justice to the accused, the judge declared a mistrial.
