A youth who admitted to fatally stabbing a man at Leopold and Lombard streets in November, 2018, was yesterday sentenced to 14 years in jail.
John McKenzie, 20, of 102 Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was sentenced by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the High Court in Georgetown after a probation report was delivered.
McKenzie was one of three teenagers initially charged with fatally stabbing a man, identified only as “Buckman.” It was alleged that on November 17th, 2018, at Leopold and Lombard Streets, McKenzie along with two 15-year-olds murdered the man. Previous reports indicate that the teens murdered the man after he stopped buying drugs from them. According to the police, the man was stabbed multiple times and later succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Probation Officer Renicia Lewis reported to Justice Sewnarine-Beharry that McKenzie is a product of a broken home and a single parent household, who was neglected by his father as a toddler and later in his adolescence by his mother.
He is also a product of a socially deprived community, the officer said, while noting that he appears remorseful about the act committed and admitted to the offence, although he claims he acted in defence of his friends who were being attacked by the victim.
The report said, McKenzie was born to a common-law relationship which produced a total of nine children. The report said interviews conducted with his mother revealed that McKenzie’s father left when he was approximately one-year-old as he was unable to provide for his large family.
Throughout the years, it was the responsibility of McKenzie’s mother, who was a vendor, to provide for her family until she met and started a relationship with another man, whom she later married.
It was stated that after marrying the woman relocated with her husband while leaving McKenzie, who was 13 years old at the time, along with five other siblings at the Leopold Street address where they were forced to fend for themselves.
The household was said to be headed by the accused’s 25-year-old brother, although he and his siblings were each responsible for satisfying their own needs.
The deceased at some point was employed at the Georgetown Public Hospital as a porter.
Reports indicated that he worked along fine with coworkers and performed his duties well.
McKenzie was described as a quiet and helpful young man who was left without proper parental guidance. Similar sentiments were related in relation to his time spent in prison while on remand.
When responding to the court, McKenzie indicated that he was young and ignorant of the law and now knows better. He asked that his sentence reflect mercy.
The judge, after hearing from the accused, delivered her sentence and asked that he better himself so once released from prison he can be a better citizen.
