Life sentence for Parris

SHAWN PARRIS, 35, the confessed assassin of bone specialist Dr Chandra Naraynsingh, was yesterday sentenced by a San Fernando High Court judge to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole before at least 30 years of the sentence is served. In passing sentence, Justice Herbert Volney told the court, “He (Parris) has deliberately taken a human life and the law prescribes for this in the worst-case scenario, a term of life imprisonment. This is a worst case scenario in the judgment of this court.” Justice Volney said it was the duty of the court to set and follow standards of punishment, especially in light of the upsurge of violence and use of guns in unlawful killings.   

It was the good fortune of the prisoner to avoid the spectre of death by hanging, Justice Volney remarked, adding that he could find no other case on record where a contract killer did not face trial for murder. “It is not disputed that this case is the classic case of a premeditated killing for money — a contract killing. An unlawful killing with malice aforethought. The prisoner was granted a favour of pleading guilty to manslaughter and by doing so, has admitted to the unlawful killing. It is not for the court to question the basis of the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision not to prosecute the prisoner for murder, on the facts outlined to the court. However, the court is mindful of the heinous nature of the killing and the bold and callous nature of its execution,” Justice Volney said.

Parris who was indicted for murder on November 9, 2001, was defended by attorney Keith Scotland, instructed by Larry Williams, while the State was represented yesterday by assistant DPP Roger Gaspard and Senior State attorney Wayne Rajbansie. Last Friday, as a jury was being empanelled before Justice Volney to hear the trial, Parris shouted in open court that he had an agreement with the DPP’s office to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. On Wednesday, Assistant DPP Gaspard informed the court, the State had filed a second indictment to charge Parris with manslaughter with which the State was proceeding and Parris was then able to plead guilty to manslaughter. Justice Volney said in other cases of manslaughter which he reviewed, extenuating circumstances arose such as  lovers’ quarrels, provocation and/or lack of murderous intent. This case is different, the judge said, since there was an expressed murderous intent where Parris unlawfully killed his victim for money.

In June 2000, Parris confessed in a statement to police that the main conspirer in the killing was a woman who had paid $10,000 up-front to have the job done. In outlining the elements of the case, the judge said it was days before the killing that Parris was convicted in the Magistrates’ Court of two charges of possession of a firearm, for which the fines were paid for him by a man who later provided Parris with another firearm, and a job to kill Dr Naraynsingh. On June 29, 1994, Parris disguised himself as a would-be patient by placing his arm in a sling and armed himself with a hand-gun and an intention to kill as he lay in wait for Dr Naraynsingh on the compound of the Langmore Health Foundation. As Dr Naraynsingh exited the clinic and was entering her car, she smiled at Parris, who reciprocated by shooting her five times at point-blank range. One month after the killing of Dr Naraynsingh, Parris fled the country for the United States. He was extradited in 2000 to stand trial for the murder. “I consider the prisoner to be a dangerous man even with the passage of time and his incarceration pending trial,” Justice Volney remarked. The judge also noted that Parris had attempted in some measure to manipulate the process of the court by delaying his inevitable trial. Parris’s criminal records showed he had five previous convictions.

Woman wanted Chandra killed

Extract of statement by Shawn Parris who was yesterday given life sentence for killing Dr Chandra Naraynsingh in 1994.

I Shawn Parris wish to make a statement. I want someone to write down what I say. I have been told that I need not say anything unless I wish to do so and that whatever I say may be given in evidence. I have also been informed of my legal rights. On the 27th June I was sentenced to 18 months. Ken Morris the person paid the fine who was also accompanied by Errol Pierre came and took me out on that particular day 27th June. This was in 1994. On my way to San Fernando Ken started telling me about this woman that they had a problem with and needed to take care of her. To be more specific he told me she had was to be taken out. I asked him what  she was to be taken out mean. They just wanted her shot in foot or hands or somewhere there. The subject was changed for a while, we discussed other details and stuff like that. Then I became a little curious about who this woman would be whether she was someone I knew or didn’t know.

It turned out that I didn’t know the woman, and then while being in Port-of-Spain we went to the location at the woman’s resident. I took a look at the woman’s resident. I saw the house.
Question: Where is that house you are speaking of?
Answer: by Shawn Parris: The house was in St Joseph in a street opposite the Police Station. We took a couple of side streets and back street, I wouldn’t be accurate on that. Those directions were known to my facilities like Ken and Rev by a woman that I later knew that was one of the main conspirers on the tragedy that occurred on 29th June 1994.
My motive for looking at the resident was to determine if I would have done the job there and in what particular way to carry it out. After that we left and headed south to San Fernando. When we reached San Fernando I told them guys I would get with them later. I going to see my family. I would discuss this with them later. I took the rest of the evening with my family, my girlfriend at the time and my son. The next morning I got with Ken and we discussed the situation all over again as to where how and when this lady was to be taken out. After that I started to come familiar with the woman and her whereabouts.
Question: Which woman are you speaking about?
Answer: by Shawn: The deceased. I had attempted following her one afternoon, but I dismissed all action about doing her any harm because her daughter was in the car. Everything was just postponed and we went about life normal for two or three days. When two or three days went by Errol was being pressured by the woman.
Question: Which woman are you speaking of:
Answer: by Shawn: This woman was the main conspirer. I doh know her by name. Ken was being pressured by Errol and I was being pressurised by Ken. So we came up with a decision that we had to do something because the lady was paying up all this money up front and nothing wasn’t being done. That’s where the Langmore Foundation issue came into existence.
Two days prior to the incident.
Question by Shawn: How do you call that road where they sell the oysters that you take to go back to the Highway?
Answer: That is the Tarouba Link Rd. Two days prior to the incident I was driven up there on that same Link Road. I went to see if the situation was as exactly as it was told to me at the Langmore Foundation, and it was, meaning that am just how it was explained to me where the deceased car was going to be and the time was all accurate. I asked for one more day to make sure it was occasional basis and not just a one day thing. Now one day prior to the incident that took place on 29th June 1994, I decided to make my move. I did make the move, I was a couple of minutes short of time when I was heading into the compound, she was heading out, am at that particular time all operations was cancelled because of the complications.
The following day am I got dressed and I tried to attire myself so I could be identified to the people and also to the motives for being at the Langmore Foundation. I did that by putting a superficial cast and a sling and I make sure and I was there an hour early, before time. I walked into the Langmore Foundation and I stood there for a while waited for my victim. I didn’t want it too unusual so I walked over by the pool, it had some kids at the pool that I exchanged a few smiles with and conversations. When I think I stood around there too long, I moved from the pool area, just when I was moving workers started departing from the building and I stood across, in an area across from the entrance and exit from the building. In that case I just wanted to be sure of who coming out of the building and it wouldn’t be a case of mistaken identity and the wrong woman.
Finally I saw the victim coming out the doorway heading towards her car. She greeted me and smiled. I look over to the area which part the kids was. I noticed the kids were gone. Then she opened her door, the front driver door. I looked directly to her and squeezed one shot off the gun. Then she started screaming. She asked for someone to help her. Uncontrollably I squeezed another round, and another round and another round. At that time she was slumped down on the passenger side of the car and I squeezed another round again at her. There was a lot of screaming coming from the windows, exits and entrance of the building. I directed my gun towards the people who are screaming. I squeezed off a round to the direction where the people was, but no round extracted from the gun, then I realised all was extracted on the victim.
After that I keep the gun pointed to that area and the pool area where it had this guy. I didn’t really know if he was coming at me or going to the car. I point it at him and then back in that direction. At that time people was coming into the compound. I know at that time I had to get out as no shots in the gun I was totally defenceless. I had to get outa there now. With the gun still clutched in my fist I made my way out of the compound. I tried to make it to my getaway car that was parked over in the can area. I ended up in complications that I didn’t want to deal with so I flagged down a man made my way to one of my conspirer.
Question: Which of them?
Answer: by Shawn: Errol Pierre alias ‘Rev’. He was standing outside Ramasir’s office outside where he was working gave a nod of my head motioning it was over. He came and meet me at his nephew Clint James apartment, where I handed over the gun and asked for something to eat. Then before he could get hold of the gun I pulled back and say I ent letting nobody hold of this gun. I told him I alone was to know the whereabouts this gun I ent trusting nobody with this gun. They informed me that my money would have been here the next day. I asked to see my son, his mother, my girlfirend at that time. The next day they did bring the money for me.
Question: Who they bring the money.
Answer: by Shawn: Ken and Rev, they did bring $5,000 that particular day and another $5,000 later on. We had some operations to take care of, we had some Spanish we dealing with and I decided to give the other $5,000 in exchange for some arms and bullet proof vests and things like that.
That become my secondary goal because now I became wanted for murder due to information on the media and I became quiet convinced that me going out the country was the most important thing and most beneficial to me at the time, and that became my primary goal. I realised two days was too long to stay where I was staying so I headed for Tunapuna. I made one detour on my way to Tunapuna for two reasons, one was to get back my $5,000.00 before the guys go, and also the guy to who I was recommended to see about my papers to leave the country. I never met the guys to get my money back but I made arrangements with the guy that these guys would have to take care of me and I tried to call one or the other. I talked to him on two occasions.
Question: Who him are you speaking of?
Answer: by Shawn: (Name deleted). He told me how much he had heard about me and he had some other things he wanted to do and his words were “Man I need you around, “but it’s too late now, you’re gone”, and I saying in my mind Yea I’m gone you ain’t goin get to kill me now. After that I tried to call him and never got him, then I lost the number and that was the end of me and him.
Question: What location did you call from?
Answer: by Shawn: I called from in Brooklyn, New York. I don’t remember the number. I called a number in town from that that’s the last I heard from him and I went on with life as normal.
Question: Where is the gun that was used?
Answer: by Shawn: I left that gun with Ken when I was going.
Question: What kind of gun it was?
Answer: by Shawn: It was 9.38, my personal gun was a nine’s, she was shot with a 38, that wasn’t suppose to go nowhere.
Question: Do you know who the deceased was?
Answer: by Shawn: Her name was Chandra Naraynsingh. I think she was a bone specialist or something, basically a doctor.
Question: The other woman you are speaking of who is she?
Answer: by Shawn: I don’t know this woman by name, but I can describe her, she is Indian decent, black shoulder length hair almost on her back, fat cheeks. I wouldn’t say she was fat but head set. She was taller than the deceased about 5” 9” or 5” 10” anywhere around there. The both occasions I saw her she was either driving a white Lancer or white 280C. She could have been in her thirties.

I have read the above statement and I have been told that I can correct alter or add anything I wish. This statement is true. I made it of my own free will. Shawn Parris 16.6.00. Statement completed at 10 pm on 16.6.00. I hereby certify that I was present when this statement was given by the accused Shawn Parris to Const  #11001. I questioned the accused prisoner to his giving this statement as to whether he was threatened or promised anything by giving this statement — he said he gave it of his own free will.

Justice of the Peace
M Singh