Last night we were the first to report (Another Accused Murderer Walks) that 20-year-old Egbert1 Myers beat a murder rap after Justice John Gonzalez directed a jury to find him not guilty due to a lack of evidence. Watching the newscast was the victim's stunned mother Brenda Lino who found out about the outcome of the trial here on 7NEWS.
Brenda's 19-year-old son Robert Lino was murdered on June 30th of 2003 during a robbery at the Texaco Gas Station at corner Cemetery Road and Central American Boulevard.
For the first time since her son's murder, Brenda Lino spoke out today expressing her outrage at the DPP's office for her dead son's failed prosecution. Brenda Lino told us she wasn't even informed that the murder trial had commenced.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Clutching a portrait size picture of her teenaged son, Robert, who was murdered exactly a year and 15 days ago Brenda Lino sat in our studios this afternoon and made a tearful plea for justice after her son's accused killer walked. Robert is gone and Brenda says the least she expected was justice.
Brenda Lino, Crying for Justice
"I know definitely I will not be seeing my son again. I live with the grief like something was just torn from inside of me because I know I will never see him again…I know it. It is terrible man; terrible. He was a nice young man. He had a ambition, he was working, and my son had dreams. These people just came and took that away from him that night and all we are left with is this picture here. This is all we have along with the memories of him. And I mean to say to make the DPP just let the case go like that hurts us. We went to him to try get some answers and as we reached there we couldn't find anyone. My son…it is not a dog that died, this was a human. We were looking forward to at least closure; something with closure but this is what we get."
And the pain of Robert's murder and now his failed prosecution has given rise to old emotions and brought about anger in his entire family.
Vashtie Pascascio, Robert's Aunt
"This has really torn my family apart. My mother called the radio station this morning to voice her feelings and her concerns. I just hope just as she said that these people can sleep at night because we have done them nothing."
Donna Duff, Robert's Aunt
"To me like you have to start take your own justice…you know start something to get justice because it's not fair. My nephew was taken away and it is not fair."
Q: Have you lost faith in the justice system?
Brenda Lino, Crying for Justice
"Yes I have. I have lost faith in the DPP's office because then they can't give me an answer to what I want to know which is why I wasn't notified. Why?"
That is just one of the many unanswered questions this mother has.
A very blunt Prosecutor Carlo Mason told us this evening that a trial was held and the no case submission was upheld meaning it is case closed on Robert Lino's murder. We note that two other men originally charged for the murder were released prior to trial.