​By Zaya Williams

The defence is not satisfied with the results of a murder trial involving Jeffrey Daniel.

Daniel was convicted of killing Emanuel ‘David’ Roberts in a tragic incident that occurred at the Newfield home of the deceased on May 21, 2021.

The verdict was handed down last year after a short trial that made history as the first Judge-only murder trial.

According to evidence borne out in the November 2023 trial, Daniel -the ex-boyfriend of the deceased’s step daughter- had been explicitly warned not to return to their Newfield residence following a trespassing incident on May 16, 2021.

Despite the warning, Daniel reappeared a few days later, and David was alerted to his presence by his stepdaughter.

Roberts confronted Daniel with a cutlass, leading to a scuffle where the accused gained the upper hand, using the cutlass on the deceased.

Roberts received a long and deep laceration, two broken ribs and died from a massive loss of blood.

Daniel’s lawyers Wendel Alexander and Wayne Marsh argued self-defence and accident as their defences but the Judge ruled that none of those can apply in this case.

Justice Tunde Bakre ruled that the prosecution’s case, though circumstantial, left him with no doubt that Daniel killed the elderly man.

Daniel was therefore convicted last November and was then sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years imprisonment.

But Alexander wasted no time in filing an appeal.