A 26-year-old Georgetown woman has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a case arising from a domestic incident.
Melissa David, of New Market Street, North Cummingsburg, who was charged with manslaughter for the 2024 killing of Edmond Moses was yesterday sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.
The case was heard at the High Court in Demerara before Justice Joy Persaud-Singh.
Court records and submissions revealed that the incident stemmed from a domestic confrontation involving her partner, Moses. It was alleged that during the confrontation on May 22 2024 in Georgetown, Moses was set on fire, leading to serious injuries and Moses’ eventual death.
David, who was 24 at the time of the incident, entered a guilty plea, which the court treated as a factor in reducing the sentence from an initial starting point of 25 years. She received credit for time spent in custody as well as the early resolution of the case.
During mitigation, defence counsel Ronald Bostwick told the court that David had a difficult upbringing marked by domestic instability and past trauma, including experiences of sexual abuse. He also noted that she had been assessed with mild depressive disorder and post-partum-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
The defence argued that David had expressed remorse and accepted responsibility, and that a trial would have required witnesses to relive traumatic events. The court was told she had also demonstrated academic ability and participated in competitions such as spelling bees.
In her own statement to the court, David expressed emotional distress and remorse, stating that she did not intend to kill her partner and that the incident escalated from a dispute involving a mobile phone.
Prosecutors and the court acknowledged the seriousness of the offence while also considering prospects for rehabilitation. Justice Persaud-Singh noted the need for both deterrence and the possibility of reintegration into society.
In sentencing, the court imposed an 11-year custodial term, taking into account David’s guilty plea, remorse, youth, and background, along with the time she has already spent in custody. The court also referenced the importance of rehabilitation programmes available within the prison system.
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