'Not Guilty'
November 27, 2007
RODNEY Beckles, the son of a university professor, was yesterday found not guilty for the January murder of 28-year-old Khalil Campbell, the son of high court judge Lennox Campbell in a verdict that shocked some spectators and angered relatives and friends of the deceased.
The 12-member jury arrived at the not-guilty verdict after close to three hours of deliberation.
Immediately following the verdict, a friend of the deceased launched a sudden attack on Beckles while police was escorting him from the prisoners' dock.
Angered by the verdict, the unidentified man lunged at Beckles - to loud screams from Beckles' mother and other relatives - and grabbed at him. Other police officers quickly stepped in and repelled the attack, which took place shortly after Justice Kay Beckford left the courtroom.
"Remember weh mi tell you! Remember!" shouted the man to Beckles as some members from Campbell's family fought to restrain him and lead him out of the court.
Fearing an attack on the jurors, court workers prevented them from leaving the Number 1 courtroom for a few minutes.
One female family member of the deceased then stormed out of the courtroom shouting, "No justice no deh! No justice no deh!"
Following the melee, a lawyer told reporters that an attack was expected and security was beefed up for the occasion as Beckles had been receiving threats within the precinct of the court.
"We have been expecting this. And that is why there was extra security. That is why the police responded so quickly," said the attorney who asked not to be named. "He has been getting threats all along."
Up until press time last night, it was not clear whether Beckles' attacker was detained or if any charges were brought against him.
Beckles, a social sciences student at the University of the West Indies, Mona (UWI), has been on trial for the past two weeks for the January 3 murder of Campbell, who was stabbed and slashed some 15 times at a drug den at 219 Old Hope Road.
The towering Beckles testified during the trial to slashing and stabbing Campbell, but maintained that it was done in self-defence and that he never meant to hurt him.
"At no time did I intend to hurt him. I was just hitting him so that he would let go my foot so I could go home," Beckles said during the trial.
According to the defence, Campbell had attacked Beckles during one of his mental episodes.
Following yesterday's verdict, Beckles' relieved parents - Professor Hilary Beckles of UWI and Mary Beckles, hugged each other and wept.
Cradling his wife's face, the professor kissed her several times as they smiled.
However, a contrasting scene was being played out outside the court with several members of Campbell's family in tears, while lamenting that "there is no justice".
Author: Paul Henry
Source: Jamaica Observer
