Petit Valley man guilty of manslaughter

A PETIT Valley man who was on trial for murder at the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court was yesterday found guilty on the lesser count of manslaughter. Aaron Ali of Morne Coco Road, Petit Valley, was before Justice Anthony Carmona in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court charged with the murder of Marlon “Fygee” John, on June 28, 2002 at Roots Corner, Morne Coco Road, Petit Valley.

The State’s case was that on the day in question, Ali had an argument with John, who he subsequently shot with a 16-gauge homemade shotgun. In his defence, Ali testified that the gun had accidently gone off after John attacked him with a knife. After three days of listening to Carmona’s summation of the case, the jury deliberated for the stipulated three hours and then requested more time to deliberate before they returned the guilty of manslaughter verdict. Ali, who was represented by attorneys Nathaniel King and Ryan Cameron, will be sentenced on February 11. State attorneys Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo and Marissa Gomes prosecuted.