It was a scene of much jubilation for relatives of murder accused Richard Stanton at the High Court on Wednesday evening, as he was acquitted of the January 12, 2015 execution-style murder of Atlantic Gardens businesswoman Patricia Sanasie.
This comes days after Stanton addressed the jury and professed he was not a killer and was not born to kill anyone.
His acquittal came by way of the jury’s unanimous not-guilty verdict, which was returned after just over two hours of deliberation. This decision signals that the panel did not believe that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient enough to convict the man.
When it was announced that he was free, just after 18:30h on Wednesday, his sister shouted out, “Yes!” but Police in court restored order. After Stanton’s relatives exited the courtroom, it was celebration non-stop. He was advised by presiding Justice Brassington Reynolds to avoid trouble, as he was given a second chance at life. Justice Reynolds said that, moving forward, he only wants to hear ‘good things’ about Stanton. The judge further remarked that had he been found guilty, he would have been close to handing down a death sentence.
Stanton gave a one-hour presentation to the jury on Monday last, wherein he related that he was working at his sister’s establishment, the Dynasty Night Club, at time Police first picked him up in January 2015, and when they re-arrested and charged him in April 2015.
Stanton had told the panel that he grew up watching his mother being abused by various males, and because of this, he did not have it in him to hurt anyone.
He was picked out in an identification (ID) parade by the late woman’s daughter, who was driving the car on the night her mother was killed.
Stanton had also disputed the Police assertion that some of the persons in the line-up were not similar to him in features.
Sanasie was riddled with bullets as she exited her vehicle and was about to open her gate at her East Coast Demerara home. Her daughter, who was the sole eyewitness to her demise, had observed that a “big built” man had exited a silver Toyota Raum, and she saw him twice as he passed and looked at her.
Sanasie was reportedly shot to her chest, abdomen and neck, among other areas, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Sanasie was the former Director of Studies at the Academy of Professional Studies. A year prior to her death, a similar attempt had been made on her husband’s life. In that instance, she and her brother had been implicated.
Stanton was represented by attorneys Mark Waldron and Keoma Griffith. Meanwhile, State counsels Tiffini Lyken, Seeta Bishundial and Narissa Leander prosecuted the case. In May 2016, Stanton was committed to stand trial in the High Court for Sanasie’s murder.
