Rochine Maison, also known as “Rochie,” has been acquitted of the murder of Keno Griffith, also known as “Tuckie,” which took place on July 26, 2021, in Old Kara Kara, McKenzie, Linden.
According to a press statement from Maison’s lawyer, Dominick Bess, the verdict was delivered at the Demerara High Court before Justice Zamena Ali-Seepaul on August 6, 2024.
After hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of “not guilty,” leading to Maison’s immediate release after spending three years on remand.
The prosecution had alleged that on the day of the incident, Maison, armed with a cutlass, fatally wounded Griffith following an altercation involving Griffith’s mother. The charges were initially attempted murder but were upgraded to murder after Griffith’s death.
During the trial, it was revealed that an argument broke out after Griffith’s mother accused Maison of inappropriate behavior and spat in his face. Maison retaliated by dousing her with a bucket of water, prompting Griffith to run home and return with a cutlass. Prosecution witnesses testified to seeing Maison attack Griffith with a cutlass, leaving him defenseless on the ground.
However, defence attorney Bess successfully challenged the prosecution’s case, pointing out critical inconsistencies and discrepancies in the witness testimonies. Bess argued that the evidence was contradictory and insufficient for a murder conviction, raising doubts about how Griffith sustained his injuries.
Notably, this trial marked Maison’s second for the same charge. The first trial, held in November 2023 before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, ended in a hung jury, necessitating a retrial.
Maison was represented by attorney Bess of Amsterdam and Associates in both trials.
