TRINIDAD: MAN TO HANG FOR KILLING PROBATION OFFICER

July 1, 2016: San Fernando High Court found Jason Housten, 36, guilty and sentenced him to hang for the murder of Cedros probation officer Krysta Lackpatsingh 12 years ago.
The mother of murdered Cedros probation officer, Krysta Lackpatsingh, broke down in tears after the man accused of stabbing her daughter to death 12 years ago was found guilty and sentenced to hang. 
It was after an hour and 20 minutes of deliberation that the 12-member jury in the San Fernando First Assizes returned with a guilty verdict against Jason Housten.
As he was being escorted to prison, Housten, who claimed someone had threatened to kill him and his brother if he did not confess to killing Krysta, 23, smiled for photographers outside the court.
Speaking with reporters afterwards, Krysta’s mother, Jade Lackpatsingh, called on the Government to enforce the death penalty. 
State attorneys Shabaana Shah and Stacy Laloo-Chong led evidence from 12 witnesses during the trial which started before Justice Carla Brown-Antoine in May. 
Housten confessed to the police, detailing how he forced his way into the Lackpatsingh’s home on January 20, 2004, and stabbed her more than 20 times.
He spoke about how he took a kitchen knife, stabbed her repeatedly as she begged for her life.
He told police he went upstairs where he stole $1,500 from a purse and came back downstairs where he used a wet towel to wipe off his bloody hand and foot prints. 
Housten, who was represented by attorneys Rekha Ramjit and Gina Ramjohn, did not deny giving the police oral and written statements. 
However, he claimed his cellmate and fellow villager who was also detained by police in connection with Krysta’s murder, threatened to kill him if he did not take the rap. 
He said while they were in the station cell together the man told him what to tell the police. Under cross-examination however, Housten admitted he made up certain parts of the his statement, but he denied killing Krysta. (Sources: guardian.co.tt, 02/07/2016)