Man gets six months for acid attack

Sometimes the things we do we have to pay the price eventually and such seems to be the case with this latest internal community matter gone public. 

The Star news carried the following:

A self-proclaimed homosexual yesterday drew reference to lines from dancehall artiste Alkaline's 2013 hit 'My Life (Lowe Mi)' (video below) as he sought to justify why he threw acid on a man whom he alleges, provoked him on a regular basis.

He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for the offence, however, not before boldly stating, "Dem fi lowe mi mek mi live mi life! Mi a homosexual, it's my life."

When the matter was called up in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, the accused, Marlon Hamilton, pleaded guilty to the offence.

He is charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Hamilton explained to the court, "Your Honour, mi walk like a girl and mi nuh business. Him and him fren dem always a trouble me. Him a trouble- maker. Him see mi and box mi up tru mi a live my life. Mi tired a it. A my life! Mi nah trouble dem. Mi mek all report to the Hunts Bay police bout it. Mi jus tired a it, so mi throw di something on him."

(English Translation not included in the original article)
"Your Honour, I walk like a girl and I do not care. He and his friends always interfering (troubling) me; he is a troublemaker. He has seen me and slapped me in my face (box) all because I am living my life. I am tired of it, it is my life and I am not interfering with them.
I have made reports to the Hunts Bay police before; I am just tired of it so I threw the item (acid) on him."

The complainant received burns to his face and right side of his body. Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey said, "You know how much time people trouble me? That doesn't give you a reason to be walking around with acid."

Hamilton told the court that he did not walk with the acid. 

He claims it was given to him."I never walk with it, Your Honour. A somebody give it to me. Mi tek it and throw on him and see it here, some of it catch me."

After his sentence was handed down, he said, "Thank you, thank you, yuh hear? Mi will do my time."

A fingerprint order was also made.

ENDS

I can understand the need to have what maybe considered protection in the eyes of some when on the streets especially MSM who exposed from various means and reasons but the appropriate time should be when one is attacked I would imagine, not in a fight allegedly with someone else.

The frustration by the accused in terms of harassment should not be overlooked as that can push anyone over the edge but clear judgement is required for a cool head so as to avoid running into things like this.

It was only some days ago I lamented to a friend that our younger MSM/Transgender populations are lacking guidance and role models to emulate and hence find themselves in all kinds of disastrous consequences due to poor judgement and life choices. A corroborated incident in St Catherine where a drag queen had a hard time with a male client of hers as she failed to deliver 'services' to his satisfaction and the disgruntled man sought to teach her a lesson via body blows and throwing her from a car as it drove by a gas station nearing the Spanish Town hospital.

As we turn the corner nationally though in terms of outward gender non conformity, high visibility of same and MSM/Transgender populations be they homeless or not there are bound to be more fallouts like this as things settle or normalize.

Peace and tolerance

H