The High Court has dismissed a murder charge against Dexter Scotland, a Willikies resident, after ruling there was no case for him to answer.
According to Antigua Observer, Justice Ann Marie Smith on Tuesday upheld a no-case submission by the defence, finding that the prosecution had failed to establish that the killing of 25-year-old Jahfari Isaac, also of Willikies, was unlawful.
Central to the ruling was the question of self-defence. Defence attorney Andrew O'Kola argued that Scotland believed Isaac was reaching for a firearm when he moved his hand toward his waist, prompting Scotland to fire the fatal shot. Justice Smith found that the prosecution had failed to disprove that claim, leading to the dismissal of the charge.
The prosecution has since indicated its intention to appeal the decision.
The case stems from a shooting at a Willikies bar on June 4th, 2023. Isaac was struck by multiple gunshots and spent nine days in the Intensive Care Unit at hospital before succumbing to his injuries on June 13th, 2023. Scotland was subsequently arrested and charged with his murder.
