The death sentence was read twice in less than five minutes to two brothers from Laventille after they were convicted yesterday of murdering an Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) foreman.It took a 12-member jury in the Port-of-Spain First Assizes three hours to return with the guilty verdicts for Elroy Campbell, 36, and his brother Glenroy, 35, both of Eastern Quarry, Laventille.
However, even after being given an additional hour to deliberate, the jury, consisting of 11 men and one woman, could not arrive at a unanimous verdict for their neighbour Rodney Antoine, 33.Justice Devan Rampersad, who presided over their trial, then explained that Antoine would have to face a retrial.While the jury foreman was announcing the verdicts, both men looked at each other and then turned around to glance at their sobbing relatives seated in the public gallery.
The trio was accused of murdering Nixon "Pudding" Smith on October 3, 2005.During their trial, the State led evidence that around 2 am, Smith and a friend left Club Amazon on the Eastern Main Road and were walking to their car which was parked along Henry Pierre Terrace, St Augustine.The friend, who can not be identified as he is in protective custody, served as the State's main witnesses.
He testified that when he and Smith reached their car and were about to get in, they saw three men exiting a grey Nissan B13 which was parked a short distance away.The witness said he jumped into a drain and was running towards the club for assistance when he heard gunshots. He said when he turned around he saw Smith lying on the road and three men were standing over him firing gunshots.He said he recognised the brothers but could not identify Antoine, who was later identified as the getaway driver.
The witness said he ran towards the club to seek assistance and stopped a police vehicle on patrol. Smith was taken to hospital where he died.Elroy, Antoine and another man, Ashley George, were eventually arrested and charged with Smith's murder.They were discharged by a magistrate who upheld a no case submission in their preliminary inquiry.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions then applied to a High Court judge who granted a judge's warrant to rearrest them. Police were not able to execute the warrant on George as he could not be found since being discharged.Glenroy was only arrested by police and charged in 2012. The trio was represented by Michelle Solomon-Baksh and Trevor Clarke. State attorney Brent Winter prosecuted.