Court Reserves Decision in Murder Appeal

Abimael Pott

The first session for this year for the Court of Appeal began today with the justices slated to hear four criminal matters for murder, attempted murder and two cases of carnal knowledge. The first case to be heard this morning was that of twenty-one year old Abimael Pott, an Orange Walk construction worker who was convicted of murder.  Pott, who was only seventeen years old when he was charged with murder, was convicted of murdering Shamir Gonzalez, on the school grounds of the Louisiana Government School in Orange Walk in May, 2011.  He was found guilty in a trial by judge without jury before Justice Herbert Lord in the northern session of the Supreme Court and sentenced to life imprisonment. In the appeal, his attorney, Hubert Elrington, laid down several grounds arguing that the presiding judge erred in law in a number of areas as it relates to self-defense. The crown was represented by the D.P.P. Cheryl-Lynn Vidal.  Gonzalez was killed after a fight broke out on the school compound. Pott was accused of beating up Gonzalez on the head with a metal pipe. The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision to be delivered before the end of the session.