Justice John steps down from Shawn Parris hearing

JUSTICE Stanley John has stepped down from hearing the Shawn Parris Appeal following an application for him to do so, made on March 8. He was replaced by Madame Justice Margot Warner. The other judges hearing the case are Justice Ivor Archie and Madame Justice Paula Mae Weekes. Justice John stepped down in the wake of suggestions that he was an acquaintance of Dr Vijay Naraynsingh, whose wife — Dr Chandra Naraynsingh — Parris had confessed to killing. Parris was charged with Dr Naraynsingh’s murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment with hard labour.

He has appealed the severity of the sentence and Justice John was among three judges hearing the appeal. On March 8, Parris told the court he also instructed a prison officer to  appeal his conviction, but could not say why the officer did not do so. Yesterday, Madame Justice Warner told Parris’ attorney Sean Cazabon she would grant him leave to file an application to extend the time for the filing of appeal against conviction. She also granted leave to use Parris’ filed affidavit in which he claimed to have instructed the prison officer to appeal conviction, in support of this application. However, the court indicated that paragraph nine of that affidavit was vague and needed further details, and that leave would be granted to amend same.

This paragraph made mention of a prison officer but did not specify who. Cazabon indicated there was no need to amend the affidavit since Parris could not point to the particular prison officer. Cazabon noted the important factor was the intention of his client to appeal conviction and that he (Parris) gave oral instructions. On the last occasion, Prison Officer Shimon Edwards was identified as the one who took Parris’ instruction to appeal. He (Edwards) was told to seek legal advice and file an affidavit in response to Parris’ allegations.

Madame Justice Warner noted that prior to the latest sitting, the court found out that the Commissioner of Prisons had written the Chief State Solicitor on the matter but nothing further was done. Edwards told the court he had not spoken to a lawyer as yet. He was given until April 8 to file his affidavit. Parris also complained about attorney Keith Scotland’s conduct of his trial. However, Scotland’s attorney Ken Sagar questioned why his client was filing an affidavit when there was no complaint against him, that being, Parris had not filed an appeal against conviction. Dana Seetahal, who represents the State in the matter, also questioned, given the circumstances, whether Parris could appeal conviction.  The court that these were matters it was trying to rectify. Hearing was adjourned to April 12.