Linden manslaughter convict’s sentencing set for May 4

Keno Lampkin, also known as “Cuz” or “Coues”, is now set to be sentenced on May 4 after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter in the fatal stabbing of 41-year-old Kevin Seraphin during a 2023 altercation in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara–Bebrice).
Lampkin was originally slated to be sentenced on April 20, but the matter was subsequently adjourned and rescheduled for May 4. The conviction followed a trial before Chief Justice Navindra Singh and stems from a violent incident that occurred on August 23, 2023, at Speightland, Lower Kara Kara, McKenzie.
After nearly five hours of deliberations, a 12-member jury unanimously acquitted Lampkin of murder but returned an 11–1 majority verdict finding him guilty of manslaughter.
Lampkin, of Central Amelia’s Ward, McKenzie, was on trial in relation to the fatal stabbing of Seraphin during what the court heard was a rapidly escalating confrontation at a party.
Evidence presented to the court indicated that the incident began after Seraphin’s girlfriend was allegedly slapped by another man, prompting Seraphin to intervene. He reportedly confronted the individual and struck him with a bottle, triggering a wider fight involving several men.
The court heard that the individual was part of a group suspected to be gang-affiliated, one of whom reportedly had a prior dispute with Lampkin, who was also present at the gathering.
Witness testimony outlined that Seraphin himself became involved in the violence and stabbed one of the men with a bottle, causing him to fall into a culvert. The confrontation then escalated further as multiple individuals joined in.
It was further alleged that members of the group attacked Seraphin with bottles, pieces of wood, and other objects, forcing him into the culvert and preventing his escape.
Prosecution evidence indicated that Lampkin was seen entering the culvert armed with a knife, where Seraphin was stabbed during the melee. The injured man managed to escape but collapsed shortly after and was pronounced dead at the Linden Hospital Complex.
A post-mortem examination conducted by government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh on August 24, 2023, determined that Seraphin died from perforation of the heart and lung due to a stab wound to the chest.
Lampkin was arrested on September 14, 2023. When questioned by police, he denied any involvement, stating, “I didn’t murder anybody,” and further, “I didn’t bore anybody; I wasn’t involved in the incident.”
He was later identified during an identification parade on September 16, 2023, and charged on September 18, 2023.
At trial, Defence Attorney George Thomas argued that Lampkin was not present at the scene and had instead assisted in transporting an injured person to the Linden Hospital Complex. The defence also challenged the reliability of the identification parade and suggested that other individuals may have been responsible for the fatal injuries.
However, in an unsworn statement from the dock, Lampkin admitted he was present at the scene but denied participating in the stabbing, claiming he was only a witness. This version differed from the defence’s earlier position that he was not at the location.
The prosecution, led by State Counsel Geneva Wills and assisted by State Counsel Christopher Belfield, relied on eyewitness accounts and circumstantial evidence linking Lampkin to the fatal stabbing.
After deliberating for several hours, the jury returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict on the murder charge but found Lampkin guilty of manslaughter by an 11–1 majority.