Parris pleads guilty to killing Dr Naraynsingh

CHANDRA NARAYNSINGH smiled at Shawn Parris as she left her office at Langmore Health Foundation on the afternoon of June 29, 1994. She hadn’t the slightest clue she had just greeted her assassin, who moments later, whipped out a .38 revolver and gunned her down. With the job complete, Parris hurried off to collect his $10,000 payment from the persons who hired him to kill the doctor. These chilling disclosures were made by Parris to police who arrested him for the murder of Dr Naraynsingh, wife of prominent surgeon Dr Vijai Naraynsingh. Even with this confession, the State yesterday re-indicted Parris on a charge of manslaughter, to which the accused pleaded guilty.

Today, Parris who was extradited from the United States in 2000, to stand trial for the woman’s murder, will be sentenced by Justice Herbert Volney in the First Criminal Assizes of the San Fernando High Court.  Yesterday, assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard informed Justice Volney the State had filed a second indictment to charge Parris with manslaughter. Parris was indicted for murder on November 9, 2001. Gaspard said the State was electing to proceed with the more recent of the two filed indictments. Last Friday, during a series of verbal clashes in open court between Justice Volney, and attorneys, Parris blurted out that he had an agreement with the DPP’s office to plead guilty to manslaughter and not murder. With respect to the second indictment filed yesterday, Justice Volney said there was little other course left open for the State. Subsequently, Parris’ attorney Keith Scotland said a motion filed on Monday on behalf of Parris would be withdrawn. Justice Volney outlined the aspects of the case and around 11.25 am, the clerk read the indictment of manslaughter to Parris, to which he pleaded guilty.