One week after his co-accused was freed, former mason, 30-year-old George Hope, has also been acquitted of the 2018 murder of America Street moneychanger Shawn Nurse.
Following hours of deliberations at the High Court in Demerara, the 12-member panel returned a unanimous verdict, finding Hope not guilty on both the capital charge as well as the lesser offence of manslaughter.
Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall then informed Hope that he had been acquitted and was therefore free to go.
The prosecution has given notice of its intention to appeal.
A week ago, Hope’s co-accused, Kerwin De Santos, was cleared of the capital charge after Justice Morris-Ramlall ruled that there was no case against him.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, attorney Nigel Hughes who represented both men, made submissions which the trial judge upheld, ruling that De Santos had no case to answer.
The Judge noted the prosecution’s failure in discharging its burden of establishing that it had a case against him.
The State has since given notice of its intention to also appeal De Santos’ discharge.
With a prima facie case having been made out against him, however, Hope was called upon to lead a defence in which he gave unsworn testimony professing his innocence.
Kacey Heyliger; a third person, had also been charged with Nurse’s murder, but was eventually freed at the conclusion of a preliminary inquiry into the charge.
Background
Nurse, known as ‘Fabulous,’ was fatally shot during a robbery on February 4th, 2018, at America Street and Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown.
The 47-year-old father of three was shot once in the face; just under the left eye, during a robbery.
The police had said that he was seated on a chair at the corner of America Street and Avenue of the Republic, where an armed perpetrator approached him with a weapon drawn and demanded that he hand over his money.
