A High Court judge has dismissed the murder charge against Dexter Scotland of Willikies after ruling that the prosecution failed to disprove his claim of self-defence, according to Antigua.news.
Justice Ann Marie Smith upheld a no-case submission brought by defence attorney Andrew O'Kola in the trial of Scotland, who had been charged in connection with the death of Jahfari Isaac, also of Willikies. Isaac was shot during an incident in Willikies on June 4, 2023, and died in hospital nine days later on June 13th.
In his statement to police, Scotland said Isaac had a gun and that he fired at him three times after Isaac moved his hand toward his waist. Scotland acknowledged that he was carrying an illegal firearm at the time and that he had approached Isaac first.
The Crown challenged that account on multiple grounds. Prosecutors noted that no weapon was ever recovered from Isaac and argued that the circumstances surrounding the shooting suggested it was retaliatory in nature — a question they contended should be left to a jury. They further argued that even if Isaac had reached toward his waist, it may have been Isaac acting in self-defence, given that Scotland approached him while armed.
Justice Smith sided with the defence, finding that self-defence had been sufficiently raised on the evidence before the court and that the prosecution had closed its case without producing evidence capable of disproving it. The defence had argued that the Crown established only that a shooting occurred, not the circumstances under which it took place.
The prosecution has since filed notice of its intention to appeal the ruling. Scotland will remain in custody unless he successfully obtains bail at the High Court.
