Justice Sandil Kissoon yesterday handed down a 30-year sentence to Timothy McKenzie, who was on trial for the 2018 murder of Stabroek Market vendor Richard Noel.
Though charged with murder, McKenzie was found guilty by a jury of the lesser crime of manslaughter.
Following hours of deliberations at the High Court in Demerara, the panel in mid October returned with its verdict acquitting McKenzie of the capital offence, but finding him guilty on the lesser charge. Yesterday, Justice Kissoon started the sentencing at 25 years and added five years for McKenzie’s previous involvement in violent crimes.
Justice Kissoon told the defendant that violence in any form is unacceptable and carries consequences. The trial judge also ordered that the time spent on remand be deducted from his sentence and that McKenzie be able to access continuous psychiatric evaluation and care.
He also ordered that McKenzie access skills training opportunities to equip himself to be reintegrated into society.
McKenzie will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of his sentence.
The mother of the deceased, Geranium Cliffe, in her impact statement said that she would often cry when she is alone.
“I would often find myself mourning and crying without realizing it. I have suffered a lot of emotional pain and grief since then,” Cliffe said.
Noel, called ‘Nippo,’ formerly of Lot 39 William Street, Kitty was stabbed in the chest during an encounter with his assailant.
He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted in a critical condition, but succumbed to his injury the same day.
McKenzie was represented by defence attorney Ronald Daniels, while the State’s case was led by Prosecutor Muntaz Ali.
