The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A man has failed at his bid to have the Court of Appeal overturn his near decade-long sentence for stabbing another man to death with a ballpoint pen 13 years ago.

The Court of Appeal dismissed France Louis’ appeal of his nine-year sentence for killing Michelette Pierre on February 27, 2007.

On that date, Louis was on his way home after work sometime after 6pm when he stopped at D&C takeaway on Boyd Road for a chicken snack. While waiting for his order, he was approached by Pierre, and an altercation ensued.

Louis ended up stabbing the other man several times about the body.

In his record of interview with police, Louis explained that he knew Pierre, having met the deceased through a friend. However, Louis said he never knew Pierre’s actual name.

When questioned by the interviewing officer, Louis said he could not remember what their argument was about, but said it started some time before the incident. He explained that after he arrived at the restaurant, he noticed Pierre was looking at him. Then, he said Pierre “promised” him he “gone (expletive) me up and kill me”. Louis said he responded by telling the other man that if he was going to do something, he “might as well do it now”.

Louis said when he was leaving, a woman shouted out for him to “watch out” because Pierre was approaching him from behind with an object, either a screwdriver or a knife, in his hand. Louis said he ran from Pierre, gathered two rocks and threw them at him. However, he said Pierre dodged the rocks and then rushed at him.

Louis said the pair started tussling. Louis said he won the fight and stabbed the deceased.

When asked why Pierre wanted to fight and kill him, Louis said the deceased and his associates had mobbed him the year prior and had attacked him with a machete.

When asked where Pierre got the knife from, Louis said the man pulled it out of his pocket. When asked what he did with the knife after he stabbed Pierre, Louis told the officer that he didn’t stab him with the knife, but rather a “sharp Bic pen” he later threw away while he was running.

Louis further explained that during the tussle with Pierre, he managed to pry the knife out the deceased’s hands, but did not stab him with it. Rather, he said he threw it away after he got it.

Louis was charged with Pierre’s murder on March 2, 2007.

His trial commenced in March 2018 before Justice Gregory Hilton, and on March 11, 2018, he was convicted of manslaughter. He was later sentenced to nine years and 11 months in prison. The judge arrived at that sentence by taking into account the two years and one month he had spent on remand; and the eight years’ delay in the prosecution of the matter.

Louis appealed the matter on seven grounds on May 11, 2018. However, the appellate tribunal of Justices Jon Isaacs, Stella Crane-Scott and Sir Michael Barnett said there was no merit in any of the grounds advanced on Louis’ behalf to warrant their “interference” with the man’s conviction.