An appeal by Kermit Meighan, 32, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years, was dismissed yesterday by Belize Court of Appeal and his conviction and sentence were affirmed.
Meighan was convicted on July 10, 2007, in connection with the fatal stabbing of Lionel Gabb, 25. Nine days later, Justice Adolph Lucas sentenced him.
The stabbing occurred around 9:00 p.m. on February 27, 2006, in a yard at #7386 Antelope Street.
During the trial, which began on July 3, 2007, Crown Counsel Douglas Carr was able to prove to the jury that Meighan had committed manslaughter and he had not acted in self defence when Gabb threw a bottle at him, which struck him in his head, leading to him stabbing Gabb in his chest and shoulder.
After he was stabbed, Gabb was put into a vehicle and taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He died about two hours later.
Before the altercation, there was an exchange of words between Meighan and Gabb and Meighan, who was at his house, armed himself with a kitchen knife.
Meighan had appealed against his conviction on the ground that at the trial, the prosecution called witnesses who were not present at the time of the incident. His appeal against his sentence was on the ground that it was too harsh because the deceased came to his house looking for trouble, attacked him, and he acted in self-defense.
Meighan, who was not represented by an attorney, tried to prove the ground against his conviction by giving his version of the incident. But he was told by the appeal judges that his description of the incident was inconsistent with the injuries Gabb had received. Consequently, Meighan’s appeal was dismissed.
Crown Counsel Merlene Moody represented the DPP at the appeal hearing.