Mussington described as a stalker and having ‘battered man syndrome’

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

ANTIGUA OBSERVER- The prosecution and the defence painted contrasting views of murder accused Shawn Mussington with the Crown calling him a stalker while his attorney Wendel Alexander described him as a “boy toy held on a string” and having battered man syndrome.

Mussington is charged with the murder of Whyte-Barrington, who was stabbed in the chest with a knife on November 14, 2020, during a gathering upstairs the Hitachi Centre building at the junction of Market and Tanner Streets.

The Jamaican hairdresser died due to massive blood loss caused by a cut to her aorta.

In making closing arguments, the prosecution described Mussington’s action as a cowardly sneak attack and recounted several key pieces of evidence given during the trial.

She questioned what legal justification Mussington had for killing his ex-girlfriend, noting that the evidence will help the jury to determine if Mussington was justified in his actions.

According to the prosecution, Mussington had threatened to kill Whyte-Barrington and himself 11 days before the incident. The crown said that he was obsessed with her and did not want to let go so he became dangerous.

“They had separated earlier, but he kept coming around. He was not letting go,” the prosecution said.

Pointing to his unsworn statement in which he detailed the abuse suffered at the hands of his ex-partner, the prosecution said that what was said amounted to absolutely nothing, since he was unable to explain how he came by an injury to his neck.

“He gave general statements; no timeline. Him being older than her is an excuse to kill her?” the prosecution queried.

“No one knows where he got the injury from. He told police that she sliced him with her knife then he stabbed her.”

However, the prosecution reminded the jury that video footage from Boardwalk Casino moments after the fatal incident did not show any cut to his neck, as he walked casually along.

The prosecution asked the jury to take note that Mussington, in his interview with the police said it was Whyte-Barrington who ended the relationship because she had had enough since he wanted to control her life.

The jury was asked to note his demeanor while he gave his statement, adding that his expression and words were empty.

It was also noted that Mussington was the only person to make mention of Whyte-Barrington beating him.

The crown asked the jury to disregard any suggestion made by the defence that the incident was due to self-defence, provocation or intoxication.

“He was obsessed with her… Use your commonsense. Self-defence does not arise.”

The prosecution told the jury while dead men cannot speak, they normally have advocates who would speak for them and that the Sizzlin Casino surveillance camera, which captured the fatal stabbing, was the deceased’s “biggest advocate”.

“He has not put forward a proper defence so he wants the jury to do it for him. He is guilty of murder,” the prosecution concluded.

In addressing the jury, defence attorney Wendel Alexander said that it was up to the prosecution to prove its case to their (the jury’s) satisfaction.

Alexander reminded the eight women and three men panel that it was at least four of the prosecution’s witnesses who spoke about Whyte-Barrington’s conduct to Mussington in public.

Based on this, he noted that one could only imagine what was done to him behind closed doors.

Alexander said that the Jamaican woman treated his client as a “boy toy held on a string”, noting that even dogs are treated better than how Mussington was treated.

He told the jury that based on the law, no longer is provocation considered in the heat of the moment but is a combination of factors – things done or said or both – taken over “a period of time.” The attorney told the jury that if it finds provocation then a verdict of manslaughter should be returned.

“The relationship was more than tumultuous. Look at the evidence individually and pool your collective resources. As humans we can lose self-control, Alexander said, while adding that some people handle stress differently.

“This was not just love…it was beyond love. He na get the luxury of a dog’s treatment. She used him every time she wanted something, Alexander said.

He admonished the jury not to view the case in isolation but to consider all the evidence.

The presiding judge, Justice Tunde Bakre, will sum up the case today and direct the jury on the law.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]