The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of setting his grandmother and uncle on fire told a jury that his uncle accidentally ignited himself while trying to throw gasoline at him during an argument at their Gibbs Corner family home in 2023.

Ricardo Richardson, who is on trial for attempted murder before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns, denied throwing gasoline on either relative and claimed his uncle, Emile Humes, caught fire after gasoline ignited in mid-air.

Richardson is accused of setting fire to Mr Humes and his grandmother, the late Magnolia Moxey, then 74, following an argument on November 27, 2023.

Giving evidence in his defence, Richardson said he was not living at the Gibbs Corner residence at the time and instead lived with a friend, Portia Major, at Killarney Shores.

He said he stopped at the Gibbs Corner property that night after seeing his uncle and grandmother outside while he was on his way back to Killarney Shores.

Richardson said he and Mr Humes argued over where Ms Moxey should live. He said he thought his uncle was crazy for wanting his grandmother to stay at the Gibbs Corner property because of its dilapidated condition.

Photographs shown during the trial depicted boarded-up windows and missing roof shingles.

Richardson claimed Mr Humes threatened him during the argument and that he dared his uncle to carry out the threat.

He said Mr Humes then tried to throw gasoline on him while lighting it, causing the fuel to ignite in mid-air and set Mr Humes on fire.

Richardson said he jumped backwards and avoided being engulfed, although a drop of gasoline landed on his hand and caused a blister.

He said Mr Humes began spinning around while on fire before running and falling onto Ms Moxey, who was sitting on a nearby wall wearing a nightgown.

Richardson said both relatives then caught fire.

He told the jury he removed his shirt and tried to beat out the flames before taking his grandmother to hospital in a vehicle.

His account differed sharply from Mr Humes’ earlier testimony that Richardson deliberately threw gasoline on him and set him alight.

Richardson also disputed Mr Humes’ evidence that a black jug photographed outside the house contained the gasoline used in the attack.

He said the jug contained motor oil and claimed a dark substance shown on the pavement in another photograph was residue from a gasoline container his uncle had tried to throw at him.

Prosecutor Cephia Pinder-Moss disputed that interpretation, saying the photograph showed only the pavement.

Richardson also told the jury that he had given Mr Humes the lighter involved in the incident.

He claimed Mr Humes told him he intended to burn down the house and that Richardson responded by telling him to do it.

During cross-examination, Ms Pinder-Moss repeatedly challenged Richardson’s account and accused him of making up his story.

She questioned his claim that he lived at Killarney Shores after he admitted telling police and others that his address was East Street and Gibbs Corner.

Richardson said giving the Gibbs Corner address was a habit and that people there would forward messages to him.

He maintained that the property was abandoned, although he later described it as the family homestead where he had grown up with his mother.

Richardson said Mr Humes would leave Moxey at the property while he went to work, sometimes without water, and said he had been repairing the house so his grandmother would not have to remain in poor conditions.

Ms Pinder-Moss put it to him that the house was not abandoned and that Richardson was living there, pointing to his knowledge of repairs being carried out.

She also questioned why Richardson would pass Gibbs Corner while travelling to Killarney Shores. He said the route depended on which way he travelled.

At one point, Ms Pinder-Moss told Richardson not to smile during her questioning because she did not find the allegations amusing.

Richardson replied that he had not committed any attempted murders.

The prosecution also focused heavily on a dispute involving Richardson’s dogs, which it contends was behind the confrontation.

Richardson said the animals were four-month-old puppies and disputed suggestions that his grandmother was afraid of them.

Ms Pinder-Moss alleged the dogs were large pit bulls that Richardson intended to breed and sell and that Mr Humes had made a police complaint about them.

Richardson said he was unaware of such a complaint and maintained that Moxey loved the puppies.

The prosecutor put it to Richardson that he set Mr Humes on fire because his uncle was trying to get rid of his dog, Shiloh, and alleged that Richardson had threatened to kill Mr Humes over the animal.

Richardson denied the allegation.

He also testified that Moxey was not herself at the time of the incident, saying she had suffered a stroke and had been knocked down twice that year.

He said she would sometimes wander from home without a clear destination and that neighbours would call him when they saw her on the street.

Richardson said Moxey once told him she was walking to visit a friend whom he was unsure existed.

Ms Major also testified for the defence, telling the court that Richardson was a friend of her son who had been living with her at Killarney Shores after she learned he was going through hard times.

She said Richardson was like a son to her and helped around the house.

Ms Major said she did not want Richardson’s puppies at her residence because they repeatedly defecated in her yard.

She said the puppies were about four to five months old at the time and that Richardson offered to keep them at the Gibbs Corner property.

Under intense questioning from Ms Pinder-Moss about the animals, Ms Major asked whether she was on “trial for puppies”.

When the prosecutor accused her of lying, Ms Major said she had nothing to gain from testifying and did not take swearing on the Bible lightly.

She said no one could find the puppies after the fire.

Ms Major was not present at Gibbs Corner when the incident occurred, but said Richardson called her that night and asked whether she could take Ms Moxey to her daughter’s home because of the condition of the Gibbs Corner property.

She said she could not say whether anyone was living at the house at the time.

Ms Major said she sometimes drove Richardson to the Gibbs Corner residence but had never met Moxey or Mr Humes.

The defence has closed its case.

The trial is expected to conclude later this week following closing arguments.

Khaula Reid also appeared for the prosecution.