The trial of Jean Pascal Lisette, a 25-year-old former dancer, is coming to an end. The defendant, currently in custody, is accused of the premeditated murder of his 51-year-old father, Christian Guy Daniel Lisette, a mason. He pleaded not guilty. This Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, Judge Luchmyparsad Aujayeb, presiding over the case, will begin his summary for the jury. The jurors will then retire to deliberate.
During Monday’s session, the prosecution, led by Princilla Vanishee Veerabudren, Acting Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, began its closing argument to the jury. She argued that the defense failed to support the defendant’s claim of auditory hallucination in his defense. “There has been no medical report supporting this,” said the lawyer.
She also noted that the defendant had admitted under oath to stabbing his father. “He is feigning insanity,” pleaded the prosecution representative who was assisted by Ricky Bookhun, Senior State Counsel.
The defense, led by Rodney Rama, pleaded insanity. The lawyer urged the jury to consider Article 42 of the penal code which states: “There is neither crime nor offense when an accused was in a state of insanity at the time of the act (…) and consequently shall be acquitted.” Rama emphasized that his client claims to have heard voices speaking to him in his head on the day of the crime.
