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March 26, 2026
Three defendants were acquitted while one was found guilty yesterday in the trial over the 2021 murder of Keon McPherson in Sophia. After nearly three hours of deliberation, a jury returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty for Brenna Nurse, Nicholas Hercules, and Peter Lam, while Devon Harry was found guilty.
The four defendants were tried at the High Court in Demerara before Justice Geno Persaud. The State was represented by prosecutors Padma Dubraj, Dellon Fraser, and Mtumika Lumumba. Nurse was represented by attorneys Bernard DaSilva and Shemar Parkinson; Ronald Bostwick represented Harry and Hercules, and Peter Lam was represented by Tonza Sarrabo.
The courtroom, filled with relatives of the accused, was tense as emotions flared. In their final addresses, the defence reminded the jury of the presumption of innocence and highlighted contradictions in the prosecution’s case. DaSilva noted that Nurse had consistently cooperated with police, while Sarrabo urged careful consideration of the evidence.
Prosecutor Dubraj argued that all four accused were involved in the murder, claiming Nurse concealed the murder weapon and later led police to its disposal site. She emphasised the loss suffered by McPherson’s family, stating that all accused were liable regardless of planning, as intent to inflict harm was central.
After deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict for Harry, who will be sentenced on 19 May, while the other three were acquitted. Celebrations erupted outside the courthouse among relatives of the acquitted, while McPherson’s family expressed dissatisfaction.
The court had earlier heard that police found disturbances at a yard in C Field, Sophia, where the altercation reportedly occurred, and recovered what appeared to be a toy gun. McPherson, 25, of Lot 687 D Field, Sophia, was found dead in the yard with gunshot wounds. The accused were initially charged shortly after the incident and remanded to prison.
