Kayica Fuller, 24, the mother of a 4-year-old son, was sentenced today to three years imprisonment today after being found guilty on December 15, 2011, of use of deadly means of harm with intent to commit dangerous harm upon Judean Brown, 28.
Police had charged Fuller also with attempted murder, but she was found not guilty by a jury of six women and three men.
In court this afternoon, Brown spoke about the effects the wounds had caused on her. Mainly, she spoke about a stab wound that had damaged her left eye and jaw.
She also spoke about seeking professional help in terms of therapy to help her with the exercise of her jaw, which she described as being locked.
“I have restless nights imagining her still stabbing me”, she said.
In cross-examining, Fuller asked Brown if she had or could provide evidence that in fact, she had sought the help of a doctor.
Brown said that she didn’t have it on her, but the evidence proving that she had seen a doctor was at home.
Five witnesses, including Fuller’s mother, testified about her character.
All five witnesses said that Fuller was humble and trustworthy. Also, there was mention of Fuller’s son, and how he misses his mother.
Fuller’s uncle also recounted a sorrowful experience that while incarcerated for this incident, Fuller had lost her father. He also begged for leniency on her behalf.
After all five witnesses had testified on her behalf, Justice Herbert Lord heard Fuller’s mitigation plea, in which she recounted the date of the incident, saying that she had no choice but to defend herself. She also spoke about her persona, saying that she has always been a quiet person, and in reference to the incident, said that she was sincerely and truly sorry, and openly apologized to the victim, showing some remorse.
The maximum penalty imposed for the offence is 20 years, and having taken into consideration the impact on the virtual complainant, submissions, a social inquiry report, Fuller’s character as described by the witnesses, remorsefulness and mitigating factors, Justice Lord sentenced Fuller to three years.
On Friday, October 2, 2009 police went to Hibiscus Street where Brown, then 26, reported that she had been stabbed by Fuller with a knife in her back and neck. Fuller, then 22, was later charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm.
During the trial, Brown testified that she and her sister, Tanisha Brown, were going to their house when they were insulted by a relative of Barbara Miller.
After the sisters failed to get Miller to intercede, Fuller, who is Miller’s step-daughter, showed up and began to argue with Tanisha Brown, and allegedly threatened to harm them.
About 15 minutes later, Fuller, on a bicycle, called Judean Brown to the streetside and then allegedly stabbed her seven times in the back and neck, causing her to seek urgent medical attention. A life-saving surgery was performed on her.
Fuller had said from the witness stand that it was Judean who had carried the knife and started the altercation, and that in defending herself, she took away the knife and stabbed her once.