By Precious D. Freeman
Criminal Court ‘A’ will, this Friday, sentence convict Samuel Porte, who had admitted to murdering his fiancée, Sarah Y. Morris, on September 2 2023 in Crusoeville Township, Montserrado County.
Meanwhile, Judge Roosevelt Willie has instructed the probation officers at the Ministry of Justice to conduct a pre-sentencing investigation as to whether or not the defendant has a prior criminal record.
The Court reached the decision after 11 of the 12 jurors returned from their room of deliberation with a unanimous guilty verdict.
However, one of the jurors, Naketa S. Moore, was held in contempt of court and ordered arrested after she refused to attend yesterday’s hearing without any written excuse.
Judge Roosevelt Willie also requested juror Moore to appear before his court and show cause why she should not be held in contempt.
Before the jury’s unanimous verdict, one of Porte’s lawyers pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in reducing the prison sentence; to ensure a lesser prison term after his client has made public confession of murdering his fiancée.
It can be recalled that defendant, Samuel Porte, a man accused of murdering his fiancée, Sarah Y. Morris, with a cutlass for cooking cassava leaves, pleaded guilty to the crime of murder when he first took the witness stand.
“In this case, I would like to say sorry for what I have done, it was not intended to be like that, yet I found myself in it, I am just appealing to the Senate and family for mercy,” defendant Porte said while he was questioned by his lawyer during his testimony.
While under cross examination when he was asked by the prosecution, “Mr. Witness, you are begging for Mercy for which you are appealing to the family members of the deceased, do you confirm, meaning, do you agree in this open court that you killed your wife?”
Porte replied, ” Yes sir.” Again, when he was asked, “Mr. Williams, all of what you said, do you stand by it to be the truth and nothing else but the truth?”
He replied again, “Yes sir.” Despite defendant Porte’s plea of guilty, Judge Roosevelt Willie entered into a non-guilty verdict in his favor because since the crime committed is a capital offense, the prosecution is required by the law to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond all reasonable doubt.
