Florida Trini Jailed for 43 years

He lost his appeal in 2002, but not before a judge, while upholding the jury’s verdict, wrote that he had “grave concerns as to whether the weight of the evidence supports the conviction.”

Today, Persad will appear in the West Palm Beach courtroom, seeking a fresh trial.

Persad was studying to be a doctor before he was convicted of shooting the woman in the leg in Palm Beach County’s first prosecution of a road-rage incident. Persad was sentenced to 43 years in prison for aggravated battery with a firearm.

Persad’s attorneys, will over the next two days, present Circuit Judge Jorge Labarga with their case that Persad should be given a new trial, arguing that his original attorney critically bungled his defence, including failing to challenge the eyewitness identification used to convict him.

Persad, who testified in his own defence, has maintained his innocence, saying he was studying for an organic chemistry test at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton at the time of the shooting. Persad’s defence team will look at several issues. They will argue that his trial was held within weeks of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. At the time, Persad sported long black hair and a beard. On March 2, 2000, Mary Beth Dziadik, was a passenger on her husband Robert Dziadik’s motorcycle as they headed along Jog Road just south of Southern Boulevard with friends on two other motorcycles. The motorcyclists got into an argument with the driver of a Toyota, who shot Mary Beth Dziadik in the leg, severely wounding her.

The shooter got away. Persad was not identified as a suspect until May 2000, after a private detective hired by the Dziadiks received an anonymous tip and matched him to a sketch of the suspect, according to court records.

In the photo, his hair was short and he had no beard. Mary Beth Dziadik identified another man as the shooter after she saw a picture of him on television, court records show.