Point Fortin community activist Lionel Shade, who fatally kicked his friend in the stomach with his steel-tipped boot 12 years ago, was sentenced yesterday to three years and ten months in jail.Shade, president of Brotherhood United Egypt Village, pleaded guilty last month in the San Fernando First High Court to unlawfully killing Wayne Abraham, who died in the San Fernando General Hospital 19 days after the incident, which happened at Shade's home.
Describing the circumstances as peculiar, Justice Hayden Douglas-St Clair acknowledged it was an unlucky blow which resulted in the death of Abraham.Defence attorney Jason Jackson had submitted that there was no premeditation, just a single blow struck in annoyance rather than anger. "The facts demonstrate the ease with which evil can come seeking out a man even when he has not gone out of his way to do wrong," the judge said.
However, despite Shade's previous good character, his good standing in his community and his remorse, the judge noted that a man's life was taken ."The court has a responsibility to demonstrate abhorrence for this type of behaviour," he added.The State's case, accepted by the accused, was that on July 27, 2002, Shade was installing louvres when Abraham came to his Egypt Village home.
Shade told the police he asked for the money Abraham owed him but Abraham said he was not in a position to repay him.Other people who saw what took place said Abraham also persistently disturbed Shade, making an annoyance and mild nuisance of himself. Shade returned to his work but Abraham pulled his shoulder three times.Each time Shade asked him to leave and continued working. On one occasion Shade physically put Abraham outside the door.
When Abraham tugged at his shoulder for the fourth time, Shade staggered and when he regained his balance he slapped Abraham and kicked him in the stomach.Abraham doubled over, sat down and then left. Later that day he went to the hospital but never recovered.An autopsy said he died from complications of blunt-force trauma to his stomach.
It was unjust
Wiping away tears, Shade's mother Linda Shade, 67, said she did not believe her son deserved to be jailed."It was unjust. He should have been put on a bond," said Linda Shade, who was among a group of members of the United Brotherhood who came to court to support him.Describing him as the best of her four children, she said Shade and the deceased were friends.
Although she was hoping Shade would be given a non-custodial sentence, another member, Shannon Adams, said she understood that a life had been lost.However, the members took comfort that the sentence would work out to no more than two years, according to their calculations.
MOM: It was unjust
Wiping away tears, Shade's mother Linda Shade, 67, said she did not believe her son deserved to be jailed."It was unjust. He should have been put on a bond," said Linda Shade, who was among a group of members of the United Brotherhood who came to court to support him.Describing him as the best of her four children, she said Shade and the deceased were friends.
Although she was hoping Shade would be given a non-custodial sentence, another member, Shannon Adams, said she understood that a life had been lost.However, the members took comfort that the sentence would work out to no more than two years, according to their calculations.