Stabbing conviction after successful Res Gestae application by Blaise Morris
Blaise Morris secured a conviction in a stabbing case following a successful Res Gestae application.
The Defendant was charged with a number of assaults on his then partner, a supportive Complainant in the case. The Complainant’s former partner (B) rushed to the scene to assist her and was stabbed outside of the Complainant’s address behind parked cars is broad daylight. Whilst none of the prosecution witnesses witnessed the stabbing itself as they were inside of the Complainant’s property, ‘B’ stumbled back into the property upon the Defendant fleeing and made a number of comments incriminating the Defendant whilst receiving urgent treatment before being air lifted to hospital.
The individual who, incidentally, had a previous conviction for manslaughter which the Defence sought to adduce, was never treated as prosecution witness as he refused to engage with police, provide a signed statement or access to his medical records. On the second day of the trial and before opening the case, prosecutor Blaise made a Res Gestae application to adduce the comments made to supportive prosecution witnesses incriminating the Defendant and an unsigned PNB of an officer to the same effect.
The application succeeded and the Defendant subsequently entered acceptable guilty pleas.
