Kermit Meighan was charged with murder in February 2006 when he allegedly stabbed Lionel 'Tuba' Gabb and killed him. Last week, he went on trial for the lesser charge of manslaughter. But he hoped to avoid even that when he went to court, and explained that Gabb's death was basically just an accident. But today, a jury of 7 women and two men didn't buy that story; they took three hours to find him guilty of manslaughter. Mother of the accused, Dorothy Meighan told the media that it was unfair.
Dorothy Meighan, Mother of Accused
"It was wrong because my son has no company. He hangs out with us at home and from home to his girlfriend."
Marion Ali, LOVE Fm
"Are you saying he did not stab Lionel Gabb?"
Dorothy Meighan,
"I didn't say so but in self-defense because they came and went to his door and his window and told him 'how it feels to kill a man.' What does that mean, that he wanted to kill Kermit Meighan right. So he stoned him with a pint, according to what he said, I wasn't there so that's all I can say and he staggered. The same time he came charging in front of him and he ran into the knife. That is what happened. That is all I can say."
Anthony Sylvestre Jr., Defense Attorney
"It is more a case of accident. The defendant or the accused had explained that he was at his home having tea with his family. The deceased came there with his relatives and after a couple of exchange of words, what transpired was that his common-law wife went outside, the deceased had grabbed his common-law wife, and he just responded and actually the deceased had stoned him (Kermit) with a pint bottle and he fell backwards and the deceased actually ran towards him and that is how the incident occurred, as he related it.
But the case for the prosecution was different. It was that the accused intentionally stabbed the deceased and as I said, as the trial judge indicated, the jury could only choose one of these options and it is apparent that they chose the option as presented by the prosecution."
Douglas Carr, Prosecutor
"Originally he had said that he pushed his knife and stabbed the deceased. Later on he changed his testimony and said that when he was stoned, his hand went up accidentally and he went back way and Lionel Gabb ran into the knife. So what his defense was in court was different from what he told police in a caution statement which was admitted in court."
