ST JAMES, Jamaica – Notwithstanding the riveting testimony against him by his brother in a three-week-long trial in the St Thomas Circuit Court, a man was freed by a jury on Friday.

In the trial, 37-year-old mechanic Desmond Williams of a Kingston address was found not guilty of murder, illegal possession of a firearm and wounding with intent.

After deliberating for two hours, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on all charges.

They also returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on manslaughter, which was left to them by the trial judge, Justice Courtney Daye, to consider.

The accused, who was represented by KC Peter Champagnie and Patrice Riley, told the jury in an unsworn statement, that the shooting death of his stepbrother Fearon Bailey, was an accident.

The prosecution led evidence that on April 6, 2019, while at a nine-night for his grandmother, Williams took a firearm from one of his relatives who had brandished it during an argument.

The prosecution contended that Williams then used the firearm to shoot and kill the now-deceased, wounding another person in the process. In presenting the case, the prosecution relied upon Williams’ brother, who told the jury that he had witnessed the act.

Upon arrival on the scene by the police, a .45 semi-automatic gun was recovered. The prosecution contended that this was the gun used in the killing.

After being arrested, Williams told the police that he had attempted to take the gun away from the relative, and in the process the gun accidentally went off.