Guyanese mom of 5 jailed for 3 years on manslaughter charge

Guyanese mother of five, Denise Hilliman, was yesterday sentenced to three years hard labour for the manslaughter of a Guyanese clothes vendor in front of a Port-of-Spain supermarket almost three years ago. Hilliman, 35, aka Joy King, changed her plea from not guilty of murder, to guilty of the manslaughter of Mark Gordon in front of Back to Basic Super-market, at the Corner of Independence Square and George Street, Port-of-Spain, on Au-gust 24, 2000. Justice Herbert Volney presiding in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court then directed the 12-member jury to return with a guilty verdict. State prosecutor Alexander Prince had initially presented evidence that around 8.15 on the night of the murder, Hilliman armed with a bottle and knife had a confrontation with a woman on Inde-pendence Square, Port-of-Spain. Hilliman threw a bottle at the woman who then began to run east along the square. Hilliman then pursued the woman to Back to Basic Super-market where Hil-liman’s 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 Erwin Prescod, Direc-tor of Prescott Security Services, who was on duty at the supermarket. Prescod then called the police. Defence counsel Osbourne Charles SC, said that Hilliman was “very very saddened” by the events that occurred since she did not mean to cause Gordon’s death. He said she had not seen her five children since her incarceration at the time of the murder — three years ago. Her three youngest children live at a Home in Guyana, while the other two reside with an uncle. Charles said that Hilliman was provoked and has since suffered the consequences of her actions. He asked that the prisoner be returned to her country in the shortest possible time so that her five children will get the best possible upbringing. Before passing sentence, Justice Volney told Hilliman, that it was quite clear that she was provoked into the course of conduct that lead to the death of Gordon. He added that she received “very good advice” in changing her plea to guilty of manslaughter by pro-vocation. However, he stated, “Life is precious, irreplaceable, given by God and it is for God to take back.” He said that when a human being takes a life, there must be retribution for it. He continued, “you have your whole life ahead of you and that person has been dead for the last three years.” He said from the evidence he has heard, Hilliman had lived a “decent law-abiding life”. She had no previous convictions prior to this incident. He then sentenced Hilliman to three years imprisonment, the term to begin immediately.