Popular man stabbed to death outside Peace Mo

by Junior Jarvis and Kenara Woods 11.APR.08

A 17-year-old student of the St Martins Secondary School has been charged with causing the death of Fitzroy “Poison” Browne on April 7, 2008.{{more}}

Devon Ambris, a resident of Biabou, appeared before the Serious Offences Court on Thursday in connection with the charge. He was not allowed to plea and was remanded to her Majesty’s Prison until July 1, when the Preliminary Inquiry is set to begin.



According to police reports, at around 7 p.m. on April 7, Browne, 32, of Arnos Vale, was at the bus stop outside the Peace Memorial Hall awaiting transportation out of town, when an argument broke out with others at the bus stop. A fight ensued, during which Browne was stabbed numerous times. He was rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital where he died.

A visit to the mortuary at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital the day after he died found Browne’s mother Bernice, his seven-month pregnant girlfriend Narissa, eight-year-old daughter Kacey and other close family members awaiting the result of the autopsy.

Mom Bernice indicated that she was at her son’s home with his girlfriend when they got a call that he was at the hospital.

“I had a vision about him. I came to warn him, but he was not at home.”

That’s when Narissa called him at 6:24 p.m. asking him about his whereabouts.



Relatives of Fitzroy ‘Poison’ Browne (above): (left to right) aunt Carol Franklyn, mother Bernice Browne, girlfriend Nerissa Phillips, daughter Kacey Browne and close friend Simone Clasp.

“He said he was at Heritage Square,” recalled Narissa. “I told him his mother wanted to talk to him and he said he was going to catch a van and come home.”

Browne never made it home, since the next call Narissa received was for her to come to the hospital.

“When I got to the hospital, he was dead, I didn’t get to see him,” she said as she tried to fight back tears.

The two had been together for eight years.

Browne, who was a popular figure in Kingstown, especially in the location where he sold drinks on the sidewalk outside Tony Pizza on Halifax Street, was well known by many.

His mother described her sixth of seven children as a very loving and friendly individual who was well liked and wanted the best for his friends and family.

According to a close friend, he gained his nickname due to his dancing skills; “He was so dangerous on the dance floor, they called him ‘Poison Dart’, but after a while he just cut it down to ‘Poison’” she said.

Family members now have the task of planning for Poison’s funeral, and in the process heal the wounds that have been opened by his death.