As sighs of relief trickled across the court room like fallen dominoes from Knowles’ elated family members, a chill filled the air with expressions of disbelief from the victim’s family, who sought justice for the loss of their loved one.
Knowles, who was granted $20,000 bail with two sureties, sat motionless as the judge told him of his inevitable future.
Justice Isaacs explained that the ruling meant that Knowles was not convicted of murder, however, the prosecution has the option of calling Knowles back for a second trial, which senior council for the Crown Vernal Collie said they intend to do.
The Abaco man was on trial in Freeport for the April 2004 murder of Jermaine “Bobo” Thompson in Abaco.
Thompson, 30, was stabbed 12 times, wrapped in duct tape, tied up and chained.
His body was weighed down with a block and placed in a blue hole, but surfaced on April 9, 2004.
Attorney Carlson Shurland, who represented the accused said he never questions the decision of the jury and was quite pleased with the outcome of the trial.
“I only represent and I believe in the jury and whatever decision they make is the right decision. So I’m not going to question them,” he said. “My client insisted that he was innocent and at least two persons on that jury believed in him and that is fine with me.”
Shurland also thanked his assisting council Jimeko Green for his hard work in researching evidence and other efforts aiding in the defence’s case.
In his closing arguments, Shurland stressed to the jury the importance of independent thinking and the significance of reasonable doubt as he summed up the prosecution’s case.
He said their case was built on lies and deceit. In fact he said that all of the prosecution witnesses that took the stand lied.
Describing prosecution witnesses’ testimony as rehearsed, Shurland warned the jury to beware of testimonies that are “so perfect.”
He added that it is inconsistent of human nature to get two people to see one thing the same way, so the fact that the prosecution was able to get three persons to see things the same way is highly unlikely.
The prosecutor in his closing argument contended that Knowles murdered Thompson out of his obsession with ex-girlfriend Kelly Albury.
Collie revisited Albury’s testimony, which stated that she ended her five year relationship with Knowles after she found out that he was being unfaithful.
Her testimonies further claimed that Knowles never accepted their break-up and continued to stalk her after she entered another relationship with Thompson.
Disappointed in the outcome of the trial, Thompson’s sister said that, “it is just a shame that our fate lies in the hands of man.”
By ANGELO ARMBRISTER, Freeport News Reporter
