Acquittal After ex-B.D.F. Volunteer Claims Self-Defence In Killing Colleague

Jermaine Rhaburn

A former B.D.F. volunteer who shot and killed another volunteer acted in self-defence, according to Judge Adolph Lucas in a ruling handed down this morning in the murder trial of twenty-four-year-old Jermaine Rhaburn. Rhaburn was accused of the shooting death of his colleague with an m-sixteen rifle during an incident at the Melisha Hall compound located on the George Price Highway. Private Clifford Cruz was shot to the abdomen and succumbed, but today Rhaburn was found not guilty of murder and set free. Both Rhaburn and Cruz were involved in a confrontation which got physical and ended in the killing of Cruz, which according to Rhaburn, was an act of self defence.  He told the court that he went into the guard room to pick up some boots when he was attacked from behind.  He said he kept telling Cruz that he could not breathe, but Cruz refused to let him go and this caused him to crank his rifle to shoot Cruz. Rhaburn was represented by attorneys Deshawn Arzu-Torres and Leeroy Banner, while the prosecutor was Sherigne Rodriguez.