Guyanese woman on trial for killing city clothes vendor

A Guyanese woman went on trial yesterday for killing a 23-year-old Guyanese clothes vendor in front of a Port-of-Spain supermarket almost three years ago.

Denise Hilliman aka Joy King is before Justice Herbert Volney in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court charged with stabbing to death Mark Gordon in front of Back to Basic Supermarket, at the Corner of Independence Square and George Street, Port-of-Spain, on August 24, 2000. State prosecutor Alexander Prince in his opening address to the jury, stated that around 8.15 on the night of the murder, Hilliman armed with a bottle and knife had a confrontation with a woman on Independence Square, Port-of-Spain. Hilliman allegedly threw a bottle at the woman who then began to run east along the square. She was pursued to Back to Basic Supermarket by Hilliman whose path was blocked by Gordon. Hilliman had a conversation with Gordon who struck her with a piece of wood. She then stabbed Gordon several times. Gordon died on the spot. Hilliman was taken into the supermarket by Edwin Prescott, Director of Prescott Security Services, who was on duty at the supermarket. Prescott then called the police.

Police complainant Cpl Kenneth Williams of the Port-of-Spain CID said he saw Gordon dressed in a plaid boxer shorts and green and white jersey, lying on his back in what appeared to be a pool of blood. Williams said that Prescott gave him a black handled knife with a four inch silver tapered blade with what appeared to be bloodstains on it. He stated that he approached the accused and told her he was investigating the death of Gordon. He showed her the knife, and told her that he believed she was the one who stabbed Gordon. Hilliman was taken to the Besson Street Police Station. He said the accused said she would not give a statement in writing unless her lawyer was present. She added that she had no attorney in Trinidad. She did however state that she had no intentions of killing Gordon, but that he was beating her with a piece of wood. She said that someone called “Sue” handed her a knife, and when Gordon was beating her, she stabbed him.

Under cross-examination by Osbourne Charles SC, Williams admitted that he did not go in search of the piece of wood that was used by the deceased on the accused. He said he received information about the wood after midnight following the murder and that he did not think that it could be useful as it may have been tampered with by that time. Justice Volney then adjourned the matter to today  when the cross-examination of Williams will continue. The State also intends to close its case today following the testimony of two eye-witnesses.