Three women are set to face a judge and jury for the lesser offense of manslaughter at the upcoming Demerara Criminal Assizes, which starts on Tuesday. The women, 26-year-old Lisa Haley, 32-year-old Melisha Cylus, and Dacia Bourne, are accused of killing their partners.
Haley is accused of killing her husband, 30-year-old Dillon Haley, in 2017 during a fight at their home in Georgetown. Her lawyer has argued that she was acting in self defense, stating that on the day of the incident, Dillon pulled out two knives and attacked her. In the process, Haley managed to get hold of one of the knives and stabbed her husband to the chest. She told police that she had no intention of killing the father of her two children, but was simply trying to protect herself. She was granted bail in the sum of $250,000.
Cylus is accused of killing her reputed husband, 32-year-old Julian Reberio, on Mother’s Day 2018 at their residence. It is alleged that she strangled Reberio to death. Police reported that Cylus initially told investigators that her husband went home intoxicated and fell down in the house, but later recanted her story and admitted to an altercation and strangling him. Cylus was released on $200,000 bail.
In the last case, Bourne was arrested after her common law partner, 35-year-old Clifford Singh, was found dead with marks of violence on the roadway near the house they shared. A post mortem examination revealed that Singh died from a fractured skull and punctured lungs.
In all three cases, it has been reported that these women were abused by their now-dead partners. The upcoming Demerara Criminal Assizes will determine the guilt or innocence of these women as they stand trial for the lesser offense of manslaughter. Tiana Cole reports
