Man killed after second chance

When Philip Williams (right) posed for SEACHLIGHT for this photo earlier this year, he was all smiles. Holding his two-year-old son Jason, standing shoulder to shoulder with his lawyer Ronald Marks, he had just escaped a murder charge and the future looked bright. But it was not to be!{{more}}

Seven gunshots ended Philip Williams’ life last Monday in Petite Martinique. This after he fought for over two years to secure his freedom from prison.

Grenadian Nerry Jeremiah, a resident of Petite Martinique, is assisting Grenadian police in their investigations into the circumstances that resulted in the death of Williams, 35, of Rose Hall.

Information is that Williams left Petit St Vincent (PSV), where he worked as a gardener, journeyed to Union Island, then to Petite Martinique, where he had an encounter with Jeremiah, resulting in Williams sustaining gun shot wounds.

Earlier this year, Williams was all smiles as he posed with his lawyer Ronald Marks and his two-year-old son Jason, after he was acquitted of the charge of the murder of Alijah Robertson, a resident of Rose Hall in 2004.

“I am sorry to hear about his death. During the trial I got close to him and his family. I deeply regret this turn of events,” Defence Attorney Ronald Marks told SEARCHLIGHT.

Even though they had broken up by the time he came out of prison, Joyslyn Stapleton, the mother of baby Jason, told SEARCHLIGHT that she felt very sad about Philip’s passing.

She said that the pressure of him being in prison contributed to her moving on to another relationship, and admitted that she and Williams were not on good terms when he came out of jail. She, however, swears that her sorrow is more real than others may understand.

“The father of my first six children was stabbed to death in 2003, and to lose my son’s father now. I now have seven children who don’t have their fathers,” Joslyn said.

Williams had worked in PSV for 12 years, and when he was acquitted of the murder charge, he went back to work, after spending two or so weeks in St Vincent.

SEARCHLIGHT’s Grenadian sources say that the weapon used in the incident that resulted in Williams’ death was a semi automatic rifle.