MARK George Lee, the 34-year-old chicken farmer accused of murdering his stepson by slashing his throat with a machete last year, was recently freed on a no-case submission in the Kingston Home Circuit Court.

Attorney-at-law Everton Bird filed the no-case submission, which was upheld by Justice Lloyd Hibbert. Hibbert then ordered the 12-member jury to enter a not guilty verdict.

Lee was accused of murdering 19-year-old Christopher Johnson, on the night of April 21, 2005, but no one witnessed the killing.

Testimony was given that Lee, who shared a house with Christopher and his mother on River View Avenue in Gordon Town, St Andrew, went to his house for a machete around 11:00 pm.

He was later seen heading in the direction that the deceased had earlier gone, the court was told, and about 20 minutes after, Johnson was seen running from that direction with blood gushing from the left side of his throat. Johnson, the court was told, stopped at a vehicle, in which his aunt was sitting, then told her: “Come carry mi go hospital, Mark chop mi.”

Lee, however, said that on the night in question he was attacked by a group of men, including, Johnson, who robbed and beat him, and in defending himself, he swung his machete injuring Johnson.

Lee was arrested on the night of Johnson’s death, after turning up at the University Hospital suffering from severe injuries.