By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- On Monday March 4, 2013 three incarcerated prisoners who were charged with the murder of Gary Smithen were released from prison.
After spending over 22 months behind prison bars away from family and society Asim Parris of Stoney Grove, Dustin Lapsey of Bath Village and Raphael Wallace of New Castle were released after Police Prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence at the Preliminary Inquires (PI) stage to ensure a trial in the April 2013 Criminal Assizes. As a result the three accused prisoners were set free.
On Friday, April 8, 2011 Gary Smithen was gunned down while at his job site at Pennyless Auto, Pump Road. It is alleged that Gary was inside the mechanic shop eating his lunch when an assailant entered the building and opened fire on him. The twenty-two years old was rushed to the Alexandra Hospital but he succumbed to his injuries in less than an hour of his attack.
Dr. Stephen Jones, Forensic pathologist from Barbados performed a post mortem on the body of the deceased and he determined that his death was due to gunshot injuries to the abdomen with hemorrhage and shock.
Six days later after the vicious crime, police on Nevis formally arrested Parris, Lapsey and Wallace on warrants in the first instance for the murder of the Hermitage Estate resident. At the time of the incident Wallace was 19 years old, Parris was 31 years and Lapsey was 27 years old.
