Man freed of motor manslaughter

Dexter Harry was freed of the charge when the prosecution in the matter informed the court that it did not wish to offer evidence against the accused.

State attorney Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo told the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Carmona, that after seeking instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, the State did not wish to offer evidence after reflection and speaking to the witnesses.

The evidence before the court was that on July 1, 2001, Harry was the driver of a vehicle in which his ten-year-old son, Dureen Parkinson, was seated in the back of the car. Other passengers in the car were a cousin and a friend.

According to the evidence, the car was travelling west on the Beetham Highway when it began to "shimmy."

Witnesses have disputed the vehicle’s speed at the time of the accident. One witness said the car was travelling at 80 kilometres per hour, while another said it could have been travelling at 100 kilometres.

"It was about 8:30 pm, when the car careened into a barricade, hitting a lamppost and then becoming submerged in the swamp," read the evidence.

The father and others, according to the evidence, rescued the child. Harry went under the water, retrieved the unconscious child and attempted CPR. The ten-year-old boy later died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

"The State is unable to disprove that he (Harry) was travelling over the limit. There were tyre marks that could indicate the speed, but that would only be an inference," said the State attorney.

After direction by Carmona, the empaneled jury returned a not guilty verdict. Addressing the accused before he was allowed to leave the court, Carmona told Harry, "I dare say that for the rest of your life you have to endure the reality that your son died in your presence as a result of your driving. There’s no greater loss than the loss of a son. You have had to endure this horrible feeling. You have been given a chance to move on with your life, to be a model citizen and driver."