KINGSTON, Jamaica – Rushane Barnett, the man convicted and sentenced to life for hacking his cousin Kimesha Wright and her four children to death in 2022, has refused to abandon his appeal despite his lawyer advising against it.

Barnett’s court assigned attorney, Kemar Robinson, informed him that he was unable to find any legal basis to challenge the ruling of Supreme court judge Justice Leighton Pusey who had sentenced Barnett to five life sentences. Barnett is eligible for parole after serving 61 years and eight months.

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Barnett is appealing his sentences on the basis that they were excessive.

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The matter was heard in part on Monday at which time Robinson was told by the court to get written instructions from his client.

On Friday morning, when the matter was called up by the Court of Appeal, Robinson informed the court that Barnett “did not agree with his position and wishes to retain new counsel in the matter “.

The victims, Wright and her children Kimanda Smith, 15; Sharalee Smith, 12; Rafaella Smith, 5; and 23-month-old Kishawn Henry Jr, were discovered inside their Cocoa Piece home with chop wounds and their throats slashed on June 21.

According to Barnett, his cousin who operated a shop at the premises where she lived had disrespected him in the days before the murders. He claimed that a customer had come to the premises and he served the costumer but his cousin was upset and told him he was never to serve her customers and grabbed the cash from his hand and splashed water into his face. He said he was offended from that instant. A subsequent interaction with his cousin, he said, led to the stabbings.

– Alicia Dunkley-Willis