Marc Akeem Orlando Reid walked out of the No. 2 Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon with a smile so big it could be detected through the disposable mask he was wearing.
Moments earlier, an all-female nine-member jury had found him not guilty of causing serious bodily harm to Donte Alleyne with intent on August 30, 2017, and also unlawfully and maliciously inflicting serious bodily harm on Alleyne on the same date.
After deliberating for just over an hour, the jury delivered the verdict at exactly 3:55 p.m.
“Mr Reid, the jury has found you not guilty. You are free to go,” Justice Randall Worrell told a relieved man after the verdict was read.
When asked if he wanted to say anything, the 20-year-old looked in the direction of the jury and said, “I just want to say ‘thank you’.”
Reid was represented by attorney-at-law Sharise King, while Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis and Crown Counsel Romario Straker appeared on behalf of the Crown.
During the two-week trial, the court heard from eight witnesses who gave different accounts of what transpired.
Alleyne, the complainant, had charged that Reid needlessly attacked him and a group of boys he was with when he threw bottles at them.
During the incident, one of the bottles broke and cut him on his left calf. That serious injury required emergency surgery.
However, Reid maintained his innocence, telling the court that Alleyne had attacked him first by throwing a Monster can and he had acted in self-defence.
