The young man to whom many refer as the “Vampire Killer” has escaped yet another charge in a Magistrates Court. Delano Forbes, whom the Police had charged with wounding, was found not guilty of the offence today, April 15, in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court.
Forbes had earlier denied the allegations made against him. Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh handed down her decision after reviewing the evidence following a trial. She found that Forbes had acted in self defence on October 7, 2020, when he injured a prison officer during a scuffle at Her Majesty’s Prison.
Given that the prison officers’ testimony did not reveal certain information, and that there were two accounts of the incident, the Magistrate was legally compelled to consider the scenario that was more favourable to the accused.
According to testimony, Forbes had refused to take his morning bath on the morning in question, and, using a Lysol can, had struck a prison officer in the head. In response, at least two prison officers tried to restrain the accused, and this resulted in a scuffle.
While giving evidence, however, neither of two officers reported that, during the incident, Forbes was forced to the ground with a prison officer atop of him. Reportedly, they made it appear that the incident occurred while they were all standing.
It was during cross examination, in which Forbes represented himself, that one officer admitted that the scuffle had ended up with them on the floor. During the struggle, apparently, a table was knocked over and items fell to the ground. Forbes admitted to reaching for an item, which he used to strike the officer, in order to get him off him.
The prison officer sustained a wound to the head which required four sutures to close, and was placed on sick leave. This is the second case in which the 25-year-old Forbes was found not guilty of an offence.
In early October 2020, Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards found him not guilty of escaping lawful custody, following a trial in the All Saints Magistrates Court. When Forbes was first arrested on suspicion of murder, he was taken to a location in Swetes where he was expected to point officers to further evidence.
However, he is alleged to have jumped over an unidentified cliff, while his feet were shackled, and escaped through a cave. This incident occurred on February 12, 2018, and he was recaptured about a month later. During that trial – in which he was represented by attorney Sherfield Bowen – Forbes maintained that the Police had deliberately released him.
The youth is currently on remand and awaiting trial on at least four murder charges.
