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BOWEN GUILTY ... Jury returns manslaughter verdict
Wednesday February 23 2005
by Tahna Weston



Former Member of Parliament, Attorney Sherfield Bowen has been found guilty of manslaughter.

A nine-member jury, comprising five women and four men returned this verdict after more than two hours of deliberations yesterday.

Bowen was found not guilty on the more serious charge of murder. When the "not guilty" verdict was announced, there was jubilation in the courtroom. But the joy soon gave way to tears after it was announced he was guilty of manslaughter.

Family members and friends of the accused, as well as the deceased's mother could be seen crying openly after the manslaughter verdict was handed down. The trial, which lasted for just over one week, saw 35 witnesses giving evidence, 30 on behalf of the prosecution and five, including Bowen, for the defence.

The former representative for St. Phillip's South was accused of the 2003 killing of 22-year-old Tessa Barthley, his alleged lover.

Barthley was shot in the neck with a .25 pistol on 16 Dec., outside Bowen's law office in the Dollar Building on Nevis Street. Barthley died from her injuries on 23 Dec., in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Holberton Hospital, seven days after the shooting.

Bowen has been remanded until 11 March, when he will return to court for sentencing.

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Gene Pestaina led the prosecution, while Bowen's legal team was headed by Dane Hamilton assisted by Dr. Henry Brown of St. Kitts and Ralph Bowen, the defendant's brother. Judge Errol Thomas presided over the trial.

The defence has already voiced its intention to appeal.

Hamilton said all avenues would be pursued to prove his client's innocence. "Well, of course we are going to appeal the verdict; we are not satisfied. My client has instructed me to take all necessary actions to vindicate his innocence."

Dr. Henry Brown, without going into the specifics of the appeal, told the SUN, "We think we have an abundance of grounds from the summing up of the learned trial judge."

Following the verdict, Bowen appeared calm and collected.

"He expects us to go to the system, as we intend to do, as expeditiously as the system lends itself to that," Brown said.

The defence will prepare its appeal petition in time for the next sitting of the Court of Appeal sometime in March.

Brown concluded, "We will institute a process to get ourselves before the court to begin to upset the verdict of the jury."

That's a bummer, I can bet they weren't expecting this.... They were so confident he wouldn't be found guilty...

I was very surprised by the verdict as well. I thoughtBowen's social "status" would have guaranteed him a not guilty verdict. It's a shame the media had to supress the details of the trial. Now, I don't know if I should feel like justice was fulfilled for the woman's family, or if justice failed "innocent" man. We'll see if the appeal process will bring forth any new info.

My personal feelings is that justice failed him from the beginning... If this situation was dealt with from the instance when she broke into his house this would not have gotten so far... Now they trying to make an example of him just because he is/was a public figure.... However what could they do the judge asked the jury only to look at the facts presented, and there was soo much that the defence was not allowed to present before the court it ain't funny..