Update: Shonovia Thomas to be sentenced on June 28 for manslaughter
- Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 at 8:00 AM
Thomas leaving the High Court on Tuesday evening minutes after she was found guilty of manslaughter.
Murder accused Shonovia Thomas, who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of provocation on Tuesday evening, will be sentenced on June 28, 2010.
The all-female jury came back with the unanimous verdict at 6:15 p.m. in the High Court.
Twenty-two-year-old Thomas was on trial for murdering her boyfriend, Archie ‘Basha’ Todman at his Hunthum’s Ghut apartment in the wee hours of the morning of October 2, 2008.
Todman was stabbed with a rat tail comb. An autopsy report revealed that he died from massive internal bleeding.
Thomas, in her testimony, maintained that she got into a fight with the deceased and never thought that the injury she inflicted would have been fatal.
She said Todman pushed her around outside the apartment the morning of the incident, and in fear of her life she swung the comb.
The court also heard of the volatile and intimate relationship, plagued with arguments, between the couple.
BVI News was informed that the maximum for manslaughter is life imprisonment.
Thomas was represented by Tana’iana Davis-Small, Tamara Cameron and Akila Anderson. The Crown’s team comprise of Senior Crown Counsel Candace Rapheal-DeJonge, Crown Counsel Graham and Crown Counsel Sarah Benjamin.
In her closing remarks on Monday Tana’iana Davis-Small, Thomas’ lawyer, pointed out that all evidence suggest that Thomas was acting in self-defense, and not from being a woman scorned.
The prosecution based its case on the notion that Thomas, after being rejected by Todman, stabbed him while he was in bed – a theory the defense has rejected.
Davis-Small put forward to the jury that her client’s keys, earring and a piece of metal were all found outside of Todman’s apartment – an indication a struggle occurred outside of the deceased apartment.
The trial began on June 2, 2010.
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shonovia baby girl trust god and he will get you through tis difficult time .u made ah mistake everyone does it can happen to anyone women dont get down hard on this young lady when you are in an abusive relationship some time its hard to get out and very often its the woman that gets killed keep the faith
Please, tek wey yuh self from Tortola, I am sure it didn't call you.
you sound retarded!
Didn't the story read that she was found guilty for manslaughter, so how can you say she got away. The charge was murder and the jury agreed that she did not intend to kill him, manslaughter is a lesser charge than murder where provocation can be proved, it also carry a life sentence but not mandatory. I think the verdict was a fair one and I think she will still spend some time in prison but ofcourse her legal team can appeal the verdict.
ANYTIME TORTOLIANS KILLED ANYBODY THEY WILL SURE TO GET AWAY, KEEP ON KILLING PEOPLE OF TORTOLA IF IS ANY OTHER COUNTRY IT WOULD BE A MURDER CHARGE YOU PEOPLE ARE SO WICKED BUT GOD DOSENT SLEEP
plp need to look back at DA case to D MAN SAY DA STAB HIM tartola plp need to seek rights and gave plp there bless so there can live a good life to FATHER I ASKIN YOU IF YOU CAN BLESS MIS THOMAS WITH A SOME ONE SO SHE CAN COME OUT IN A NEAR FUTURE SO SHE CAN COME OUT TO MEET HER LOVING FRIEND AND LOVE ONES… MY JAH BLESS YOU SHONOVIA THOMAS TRUST IN D FATHER D ALMIGHTY AND HE WILL SEE YOU THOUGH BLESS CARRY… {NO MALICE}
There is a GOD above who sees and knows the truth regardless of what we think or others might say/share……..we dont know what happen and since NONE of us was there that night let's not throw stones, share malice, carry malice, just let GOD do his work in peace….I feel sad for both the deceased family/friends and the lady accused in this matter…one is dead and gone and the other alive to remember/reflect daily as to what really happened…….
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