Murder convicts appeal life sentences

Murder convicts Alvin Kissoon and Calvin King after being sentenced to life in prison for the 2013 murder of security guard John Friday in December have now moved to the country’s appeal court to challenge the convictions.
In separate court documents, the convicts have put forward several grounds on which they have filed the appeal through their Attorney-at-Law, Lyndon Amsterdam.
In Kissoon’s case, defence counsel is arguing that trial judge Justice Sandil Kissoon during the summing up of the evidence posited several rhetorical questions to the jury which had the effect of leading the jury to conclude that Kissoon was guilty of the crime. Attorney Amsterdam added that the summing up was not fair and balanced.
The Attorney further submitted that the Judge erred in law when he admitted the confession statement purportedly given by Kissoon to the Police after conducting a voir dire (trial within a trial), as well as not adequately addressing the issues to be considered by the jury concerning the confession statement in his summation of the evidence.
Meanwhile, on King’s behalf, it is being argued that he did not have a fair trial, since Justice Kissoon erred when he refused an application made on behalf of King to have the indictment severed and have separate trials for the two accused.
Defence Attorney Amsterdam has also based arguments for King on similar grounds as laid out in Kissoon’s appeal.
After being sentenced, the two men will have to serve a minimum of 32 years before becoming eligible for parole.
The State was represented by Abigail Gibbs and Mandel Moore, who both proved that Kissoon and King left Georgetown for Lethem, where they carried out a robbery on the Lethem Post Office on January 18, 2013.
It was reported that the men entered the Post Office and bound the two security officers after beating them. Friday died on the spot as a result of the beating he received.
The armed men then broke into the safe and carted off h a huge sum of cash. Another guard on duty reportedly raised an alarm and the Police were summoned.
Subsequently, Police at the Mabura checkpoint stopped and searched a motor car during which over $4 million was found hidden under the rear seat. They also found other articles linked to the robbery.