I NEED WORK

These were words uttered by convicted killer Gilbert Evelyn as he walked out of the San Fernando High Courts yesterday a free man, after spending 26 years behind bars for killing his grandparents. Entering prison at age 33, Evelyn who is now 59, said those long years in prison were not wasted as he learned enough skills he thinks to make himself employable.

In 1990, Evelyn burned down his grandparents’ house in Claxton Bay while they were asleep. He was charged for murder but was found guilty on the lesser count of manslaughter and imprisoned at the President’s Pleasure. In a ruling yesterday, Justice Carla Browne-Antoine said that Evelyn was perhaps now fit to return to mainstream society, but warned him, “times have changed in Trinidad and Tobago since 1990, and there are new challenges you would face as a free man.” “When you in jail, every day is Christmas even when it is not Christmas, because December 25 come like a normal day. I am free now and I can tell you I want a job.

I will be looking for a job,” Evelyn said as he walked slowly out of the courthouse accompanied by his 79-year-old aunt Monica Browne.

The case against Evelyn was that in 1990, he set fire to his grandparents’ home leading to the death of Marcus and Constance Evelyn. It was revealed at the trial that at age 13, Evelyn was a user of illicit drugs and on the day of the incident, he used cocaine.

Former Justice Kester McMillan accepted a plea of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Evelyn was sentenced to a period of imprisonment at the President’s Pleasure. In prison, Evelyn enrolled in drug abuse programmes as well as anger management sessions.

Nine years after being imprisoned, attorneys petitioned the High Court in a constitutional motion on behalf of Evelyn, that to sentence a person to the President’s Pleasure was unconstitutional. Justice Gregory Smith ruled that the prisoner be detained at the Court’s Pleasure, which would facilitate his sentence coming up for periodic review.

The sentencing review came up for hearing on several occasions before Justice Carla Browne-Antoine, in which State Attorneys made legal submissions in respect of Evelyn’s life in prison and how well he had responded to various programmes. After 26 years and five months in jail, yesterday was for a decision and as his aunt Browne, who lives in Wallerfield, stood beside him, the court heard that attorney Tempu Nefertari Moheni sought the interest of the aunt.

The court heard that Browne has consented to keep Evelyn at her home in Wallerfield if he is released. Justice Browne-Antoine then told Evelyn that he must not think that he was being released willy nilly into society to roam free as there are conditions which if violated would see him return to court and quite possibly sent back to jail.

The conditions are that Evelyn be subjected to supervision by a Probation Officer for a period of two years and he must report to them as soon as he leaves the courthouse.

The Probation Officer’s department is to compile a bio-data of Evelyn’s life and he is to report monthly and the Probation Officer would determine how often thereafter.

Justice Browne-Antoine also ordered Evelyn to attend narcotics programmes and any other as directed by the Probation Officer, who is to keep the court abreast of his progress. Further, he is to be subjected to mandatory drug testing and is to stay at Mexico Road, Wallerfield by his aunt Browne.

And, if ever he is to leave there to go elsewhere to reside, the judge further ordered, that information must be made available to the Probation Office department. Justice Browne-Antoine said, “Mr Evelyn, everything you do I would know.

This is an opportunity to start over and I know it is kind of late, but you can start over. The world outside prison is not as you knew it when you went in. Your aunt is elderly and old people are set in their ways, so you must take your time as you go about life.” Evelyn was then told he was free to leave.