St Michael youth pleads guilty to manslaughter

Raffique Vincent Murray told police back in 2016 he killed David Harewood because, “I did not like how he was talking to me and touching me.”

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale said the then 16-year-old Murray, of Sinckler Road, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, made the comment to lawmen who were investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the 39-year-old man. Harewood’s lifeless body was discovered lying in a pool of blood along the road at the junction of George Street and Belmont Road, St Michael on October 3, 2016.

Yesterday, Murray pleaded not guilty to murdering Harewood but admitted to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The Deputy DPP said investigations into the murder led police to persons who usually congregate in an area near St Michael’s Row in the City. Most of these men the prosecutor disclosed were homosexuals and cross-dressers who plied their trade along Crumpton Street, near Queen’s Park and also the area of Lower Constitution Road.

In detailing the facts via the online communication platform Zoom, Seale said those in the area spoke about a young man they referred to as Renaldo who frequented the area. They said they usually had conversations with him.

The deceased, they said, was also in the habit of propositioning young men who came to the area for sexual favours.

One witness told police Renaldo was “speaking aggressively” to David telling him he would burst his face and why he would not go from around him. But the witness said David told Renaldo he had money and he was going to by an iPhone 7 the next day but Renaldo ignored David.

Another witness said while sitting on a wall he could hear David asking Renaldo to have sex with him but Renaldo “did not pay him any attention”.

They disclosed that the two were involved in an argument but Renaldo subsequently left and walked off along Constitution Road in the direction of Martindale’s Road. David also left going in the same direction.

Murray was subsequently arrested at Trents Road, St James on suspicion of committing the offence of murder. He was transported to the Glebe Police Station that afternoon where officers discovered he was 16 years old. They asked whether he wanted to call a family member but he said “no”.They also told him of his rights to an attorney. “I ain’t want to talk to nobody so, I good” was his response.

The lead officer told him investigations conducted led them to believe he was involved in Harewood’s murder and cautioned him. Murray responded telling police he went to speak with a homosexual near the van stand and David was there.

“I stayed and talked foolishness with them for a while and after I was leaving I saw David walking behind me. David then start to walk next to me and ask me what I want in life. When I was talking to him I walk down Brownes Beach with him and David went under a shed. David and me was talking and David was touching me up. David was touching my legs and then was telling me that my body movements was telling him to come. He was touching me up . . .”

Murray said he subsequently left and while walking he picked up a stick and walked down Belleville.

“On reaching George Street I still had the stick in my hand and how David was talking and moving I did not like it. I take the stick and lash him with it . . . he hold he face and start running. I run behind David and I found a half a brick and I pelt it at David who started to fall . . . he try to get back up, I start beating he with the brick. I then run and went down Brownes Beach and sleep. That is all.

“I lash he a couple of times when he duh on the ground,” Murray said before giving police a similar statement in written form.

In that statement he wrote: “I killed David because I did not like how he was talking to me and touching me.”

Asked why he went to Brownes Beach with the deceased he responded: “David say he had friends down there but when we get there I ain’t see nobody.”

The Deputy DPP told the court the Crown accepted the manslaughter plea on the “basis of . . . the prevalence of provocation . . . We have evidence from a number of witnesses on the actions of the deceased towards the accused . . .”.

Pathologist Dr Corinthia Duprius said the deceased had multiple injuries about the face and scalp. Death she said was due to head injury, secondary to blunt head trauma.

The manslayer’s attorney Safyia Moore has requested a psychological report on her client as well as a “full” psychiatric report.

The sentencing phase of the case continues on May 27 with Justice Randall Worrell presiding over the No.2 Supreme Court. Murray has spent 1,315 days on remand.