Timehri man pleads guilty to killing drinking buddy

A labourer on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter at the Demerara High Court over the killing of his workmate, who he lashed to the head several times with a piece of wood when a drunken argument broke out between them.

Phillip Solomon, 45, of Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before Justice Brassington Reynolds before whom he was indicted for the capital offence of murder.
The accused, who was represented by legal counsel, however, opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence, admitting that he killed 51-year-old Vernon Cummings called “Ervil” on October 24, 2018. The incident took place at Timehri Docks, EBD.
Sentencing for the convict has been deferred until October 25.
According to the prosecution’s case, the two men, who were both labourers, were at a wharf at Timehri, where they would normally consume alcohol together.
On the day in question, while they were imbibing, an argument ensued between the two.
Based on reports, the now dead man armed himself with a piece of iron, and Solomon, who then armed himself with a piece of wood, and the two began lashing each other about the body.
Solomon’s brother was alerted and went to the scene. He took the piece of iron from Cummings, but his brother dealt Cummings a blow to his head, causing him to fall to the ground.
The injured man was pronounced dead on arrival at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital. (G1)