THE MAN who pleaded guilty last month to the murder of founding member of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals and Gays, 59-year-old Brian Williamson, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mr. Justice Basil Reid, in passing sentence, recommended that 25-year-old Dwight Hayden should serve 15 years before he was eligible for parole.
Hayden who is also called 'Dog' and 'Swong' of Myers Street, Jones Town, Kingston, held down his head as the sentence was passed.
Williamson was stabbed and chopped some 70 times in his apartment in New Kingston on June 7, 2004.
Hayden who knew the deceased, went to the apartment and asked for money. He was accompanied by a man called 'Bom Head'. The deceased let them inside and offered them bottles of Guinness stout. The deceased promised to give Hayden the money later that day but both men chopped and stabbed him to death. They stole a chest from the apartment.
HATE CRIME
Amnesty International has taken a keen interest in the case and had described Williamson's murder as a hate crime because of the group in which he was involved.
Dr. Randolph Williams who represented Hayden, asked the judge to be lenient because Hayden had shown remorse from the time he was arrested. He said Hayden confessed to the crime when he gave his cautioned statement and also pleaded guilty.
Dr. Williams said that there was tremendous violence at the time of the incident. He referred to the psychiatric report which stated that Hayden, was involved in substance abuse, namely crack cocaine up to 2002.
The judge in passing sentence said that the sentence should reflect the seriousness of the crime. He said further, that the sentence should also show that a person who pleaded guilty could expect consideration for the guilty plea.
ENDS
Sadly Amnesty while we support their assistance in the struggle must also understand that the default hue and cry of homophobia just because the crime has a prominent gay man as a victim and the ghastly parts to the issue is not gronds for automatic homophobia judgement.
This case was one of gay on gay violence (downlow in this case) simply gone bad as the young man as it came out in court despite the attempt to use the Gay panic defense strategy to suggest Williamson forced him into homosexuality; but Williamson had helped the young man financially in his newspaper selling business.
It turned out to be greed that led to respected Williamson's demise unfortunately. Our allies and friends in foreign lands need to pay very close attention to how the delicate crisis communication tool is used in public discourse.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Peace & tolerance
H
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