Court hears ... Man kills uncle with board

A security guard has found himself on the wrong side of the law after he used a piece of board to deliver a fatal blow to his uncle's head during a domestic dispute recently.

The accused, 27-year-old Javel Edwards, of Waltham Park, St Andrew, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Friday. His attorney told the court that his client was acting in self-defence at the time the incident transpired.

Reports are that on December 17, at about 6:30 a.m., Edwards was at his home sweeping the yard, when the now deceased, Anthony James, emerged from the back of the house and attacked Edwards with a knife, shouting, "A muss kill one a you!"

Edwards reportedly rushed into his house to hide from his 51-year-old uncle, who continued to hurl insults and death threats outside. A relative called the police and informed them of the disturbance.

Moments later, Edwards approached his gate to wait for the police, but he was again attacked by Jones with a knife.

LAID MOTIONLESS

It is further reported that Edwards grabbed a piece of board, which was lying nearby, and hit his uncle in his head. It is said that the uncle fell to the ground and laid motionless. Edwards and a relative attempted to revive Jones by throwing water on him, but those efforts proved futile.

Shortly after, the police arrived on the scene and took the unconscious Jones to the Kingston Public Hospital, where he died two days later.

Edwards was then asked to turn himself in to the police. He was subsequently arrested and charged.

In court last Friday, Edwards was granted bail at $200,000, and is to return to court on January 20, when it is expected that the post-mortem should be ready.