(CMR) Jashawn Johnson (21) was convicted for the murder of Michael Bush (22), who was stabbed multiple times during a fight in the Strand Plaza car park on Christmas Eve last year.
Johnson, who was tried by Justice Roger Chapple in June without a jury, was found guilty on Thursday and will be sentenced in November 2021.
Johnson claimed he had stabbed Bush in self-defense during an altercation; however, CCTV footage suggested otherwise. The two men were seen arguing before Johnson left and returned, apparently with a knife.
A fight followed, during which Johnson pulled his knife and stabbed Bush twice. Bush ran away into the car park after he was stabbed; however, Johnson followed him and appeared to inflict the fatal wound then while out of the CCTV coverage area.
The RCIPS has responded to Johnson's conviction, stating that the police are satisfied with the results.
“We thank the witnesses that came forward and gave evidence which played a vital role in achieving this outcome,” said Superintendent Peter Lansdown.
“Although the police are satisfied with the court result, it doesn’t take away from the fact that a young man has lost his life and yet another family from our community has lost their son due to a few seconds of madness with a weapon.”
Meantime, the police remind the public that it is illegal to carry an offensive weapon.
“In the heat of the moment, situations can escalate quickly, and bad decisions can be made resulting in often life-changing injuries or, in the worst cases, fatalities, as is demonstrated in this case,” the police said in a release Friday.
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