Woman freed of attempted murder charge

Denise Hilliman was freed on Wednesday after a jury at the Demerara High Court found her not guilty of attempted murder and felonious wounding. The verdict, delivered before Justice Damone Younge, brought an end to the trial over a violent confrontation in July 2021.
The charges alleged that on July 11, 2021, Hilliman intended to kill her neighbour, Otoley Whyte, during a dispute in Lamaha Reserve, Georgetown. The jury was also asked to consider a lesser charge of felonious wounding.
The conflict reportedly erupted after Whyte’s brother, Quincy, got into a gambling-related argument with Hilliman’s sons. Whyte stepped in to defuse the situation but instead became involved in a heated verbal exchange with Hilliman.
According to testimony, the dispute escalated when Hilliman allegedly armed her sons with weapons, including a knife and a cutlass, and carried a knife herself. During the altercation, Whyte claimed she overheard Hilliman instructing a male companion to “chop” her, though no such act occurred.
The situation intensified when one of Hilliman’s sons reportedly discharged a malfunctioning firearm into the air. Amid the commotion, Whyte was stabbed in the side with a pitchfork, an act she attributed to Hilliman.
Although initially experiencing minimal bleeding, Whyte later lost consciousness and underwent emergency surgery for a serious chest injury. Medical evidence presented in court confirmed the injury was life-threatening.
Despite this, the jury concluded there was insufficient evidence to convict Hilliman, clearing her of both charges.
Hilliman’s defense was led by attorney-at-law Konyo Sandiford, while prosecutors Abiola Lowe and Yonika Rowland represented the state. With the jury’s decision, Hilliman was released from custody.