EYEWITNESS in the La Grange, West Bank Demerara murder case at the Demerara Assizes, Lilowatie Adams, yesterday recounted how her reputed husband, Frederick Hinds, chopped her son, Gavin Adams with a cutlass.

She said when she intervened and shouted “murder”, the attacker chopped her and declared he was going to kill both of them and shed blood in the house.

The woman said Gavin Adams was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Hinds, 52, stepfather of the 23-year-old victim, is indicted for the unlawful killing at Lot 80 Unity Street, La Grange, on July 6, 2003.

The accused is being represented by Defence Counsel Compton Richardson.

The case for the Prosecution, being conducted by State Counsel Judy Latchman and Fabayo Azore, is that the crime was committed during an altercation.

The witness Adams said the accused returned home about 8.30 p.m. and called on his stepson to open the door and he did.

Continuing, the woman said, on entering the house, the accused told his stepson that he had secured a house and had come for his clothes to move out.

She said, when he was finished packing the clothing, he removed a cutlass from the top of his suitcase and wounded her son, who was sitting in a chair, around the neck.

His mother said Gavin ran out of the house screaming for murder and she rushed to his rescue in the yard but his stepfather continued to chop him.

She said she enquired of Hinds why he was chopping her son and he fired a chop at her across her left side face.

She started screaming that Hinds was chopping up her son and he aimed another chop at the left side of her head.

The woman said neighbours opened their windows and looked out and Hinds then slit her son’s throat with the cutlass.

Still shouting, she ran towards the house but fell and Hinds stamped on her ribs with his feet and enquired: “You nah dead yet?”

The witness said he added: “I am going to kill both of you all and shed blood in this house today.”

She said, at that stage, she was wounded on the left hand and, when she ran seeking help, he ran behind her and put her face down in a pool of water on the road.

The woman recalled that the accused grabbed her from the back and put her on a bench to sit in front of the house.
The trial is continuing.