Gareth Davis Sr., Gleaner Writer

Trevor Berbick

Following a gruelling four-week trial, 21-year-old Harold Berbick was yesterday found guilty of murdering his uncle, Trevor Berbick, the former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion, by a 12-member jury at the Portland Circuit Court in Buff Bay.

The 12-member jury deliberated for a little under one hour before passing the verdict. The other suspect, 19-year-old Kenton Gordon, was found guilty on the lesser charge of manslaughter. Justice Christine McDonald remanded both men until January 11 next year, when they will be sentenced.

Following the announcement of the verdict, family members of the slain boxer, including his wife Nadane, daughters, Trisha and Nadia, along with sister, Beverlee, expressed satisfaction with the verdict.

According to his wife her children had been left without a father, justice had been served.

"I have to be comforting my four kids throughout the entire ordeal," she said. "My son, Trevor Berbick Jr., was unable to travel from Florida to Jamaica, as he is still picking up the pieces following the brutal murder of his dad."

She added: "I can now look them in the eye and say justice has been served for your father."

A tearful Beverlee, who was overcome with emotion, said it was wrong for anyone to commit murder and not be punished.

She said the society was already riddled with crime and that this was one way of sending a message to those who indulged in murder.

"I don't look at this verdict as a triumph," she said. "It is rather, a sad and unfortunate thing that happened with the murdering of my brother."

Plan to appeal

Attorney-at-law Keith Bishop, who represented Gordon, said he would be pressing for an appeal of the verdict handed down to his client as soon as sentencing was passed. He said there were many areas in which he could go forward with respect to an appeal.

Mr. Bishop said the conduct of the police and the Justice of the Peace in collecting a caution statement from Gordon was improper.

"I am very disappointed with my client's conviction but, once the directions are proper, the jury has a right to come to its findings," he said. "We are, however, concerned about the manner in which statements were collected. We intend to make an application for appeal, which I believe should overturn the manslaughter conviction against my client."

During the penultimate day of the murder trial, one of the slain boxer's daughters gasped and broke down in tears, after a metallic pipe, which was believed to be one of the weapons used to commit the murder, was presented to the court.

The body of the former boxer was found near his home at Norwich district on October 28 last year, with four chop wounds to the back of his head. Hours before his brutal murder, he was spotted at a nightclub in that community, where he spent the better part of the evening wining and dining with friends. Berbick was 54. He was the last fighter to defeat the legendary Muhammad Ali.