Laurencia Laville, the grieving mother of Charlesworth Christopher Jr of Portsmouth, has made it clear that she is not happy about a jury’s decision that found Stebin Valentine not guilty of manslaughter.
She told Dominica News Online that she will be appealing the decision.
The nine-member jury reached the verdict on Tuesday.
During testimony in court Valentine said that he was only showing Christopher the gun, which he had found at a party, when it went off accidentally killing him.
Laville is quite upset over the fact that Valentine, throughout his testimony, claimed that her son was a close friend throughout his lifetime.
In a letter she wrote to Dominica News Online Laville stated the contrary. “Stebin was never a friend of my son. They never dived together, never caught shellfish, never played football either, because Jr did not like sports,” she wrote in dismissing the testimony made by Valentine in court.
According to Laville said her son was interested in XBOX, PS2 and other computer games so much so that he was very advanced in computers and would spend his spare time at a Game Shop in Portsmouth with his younger brother Kelvin for hours on end.
The mother went on to say that there was no way her son and Valentine could have been friends since Christopher spent all of his holidays in Guadeloupe and both boys attended separate schools.
During a brief interview Dominica News Online asked about her feelings on the jury’s decision. “I do not even know how to answer since my head is not yet clear enough to give a proper answer,” she stated.
To end her letter the grief-stricken parent questioned, “Stebin, why did you kill my son?”
while each and everyone is arguing over this case, it could have been anyone of u in either stebbins position or the mothers position, i have read alot of silly comments thus far about this article it shows that when it comes to our justice system that most of u do not know much about it and argue without facts about a subject, please if u not sure ask a question before u argue a topic. and to stebbin u got a chance please dont repeat a mistake twice, and to the young mans mother its ur right to appeal although i hav my views about u appealin but its ur right too, i will pray for u and may God be with u and comfort u while u morn over ur son’s death,peace be with u and i hope u find that comfort and peace of mind
@ Junior’s mother-two years ago i lost a very, very close relative in d form of murder so i feel ur pain…. i knw xactly wat u r goin thru cus it happened to me…. my advice to u is try movin on wit ur life…. no mata wat moni is not gonna brin him bk to u….. rite now u r grievin- dat is natural….. u jus av to accept the fact dat some1 u love dearly is gone n not gonna come bk.. i thought i cldnt accept it, as a mata of fact i am still tryin.. jus fink of all d fun times u had wit ur son, wen u feel lk cryin jus let it out… stebin WILL get wats comin his way… live it to d MOST HIGH GOD… HE NEVA GIVES US WAT WE CANT HANDLE.. D BATTLE IS NOT URS.. IT’S D LORDS’
hmmmm….this too shall come to pass…all who speak, but none were present. emotions cloud judgement, and conclusions are made. others who arent directly related, attempt impartiality, yet fail due to thier very stupor or lack of understanding of this already expired situation. unsatisfied with the outcome, those who are related seek thier brand of justice, so blames and stories arise to justify it. others on the outside mearly have an imagined idea of the pain the ones who lost another have. those who’ve lost the other no longer seek justice in the hearts any more…….only vengance or revenge (one in the same). i too have lost a brother to violence, yet we cannot simply say we know the inner life of someone just because we live with them nor can we say that someone else doesnt because they dont live under the same roof. in the end, both the victim and the acused suffer a loss. no man can live in peace after taking the life of another, let alone someone u know, his inner hell is far greater that ur vengance no matter how calm his shell may appear. and the the victim lost his life physically(Sadly). its too late to for any other out comes to this story. exept…
(gramatical errors may exist in this comment as it was done in a rush)
alot of you bloggers make me sick! get off stebin back? pray for stebin? take stebin to court for a little change? what the heck is you all’s problem?
my aunty doesn’t want stebin’s stinking money. she doesn’t preach violence. all she wants is justice for the wrongful death of her son. all of you claiming she should move on, let me see how easy it is to move on when the same stebin kills on of your own. justice was not served, but my aungt believes firmly in God. He is her shield and her protector. Stebin Valentine will get what is coming to him. God is not a police. And FYI, he will always be a murderer no matter how much you all try to cover it up.
People that believe in God doesn’t speak like that,they don’t wish people bad.
If your Aunt is serving the Lord, She would obey him and let vengeance be his. I unerstand your Aunt is hurting and you to but look at he situation objectively and let your conscience be your guide. To even wish (curse) the young man to be a murderer is most disgusting. Please my dear remember that sometimes what one wishes for others hit them in their face. So please repent of those things as God our Father is justice himself and he will handle the matter in hi way or good time. But please stop wishing bad to others, this comes back home. You are not the judge – Father God is. Ask God for the wisdom and understanding and let him gve you the peace of Christ that surpasseth all understanding. That way the family will prosper and will not forget the deceased one but will move on in love. Love and love will come back to you all. God is able to do exceedingly and above all one has asked. People pray for the hurting Family. Lord give them comfort and let them remember the memories of their loved one.
What would your eaction be if the shoes was on the other feet and the Stebin was shot whilst they were looking at the Gun. They were speaking. They were close and that gun was not on safety. Probablly none know about gun. So Stebin could have been killed too. Wouldn’t it be an accident too? Food for thought my dear and look at the possibilities that could have happenned. How would you have felt if the other way round???? Be honest with ourselves.
The way murder is being treated and defended in Dominica, it seems that one’s justice is in an eye for an eye. If it was my son stebin’s days wou
D have been numbered and I would get a not guilty verdict too. All the hypocrites can comment. We only know when the shoes are on our own feet and squeezing
Another example of Dominica’s corrupt judicial system.
Shame, shame, shame.
I find that to be a misleading virdict..you accidentally discharge an unlicensed firearm,maybe stolen etc someone gets killed and thats it.You hide the gun ? what those jurors were thinking.People that was negligence..Mother you can file a civil suit for wrongful death..take him to the cleaners.People kill people guns don’t.And where are the other charges,(criminal negligence,possession of firearm & ammunition,obstruction )
you are so damn ignorant .these are the comment d.n.o shoud delete .you defenitely not pleased with what the lady said but now u sound like a devil
i am starting to believe that d.n.o. has a whammy eating the comments because one minuit you see a comment and when you come back to check the viewers respond, the comment is gone .
Why are you all so angry. Why do you insist that they were not friends. Do you travel with your son all through? I read from the evidences given by the witnesses etc that the accused man was also in the company of the deceased aunt , the night of the party. I kind of understand the way you feel but have you even forgotten God in all of this. He have asked us to love and to forgive. I know that this can be very hard. You lost your son. So many of us have lost a loved one. Are we going to be angry and hurt and not move on. God know best sometimes we need to respect when he allowed things to happen. Go into prayer and ask the Lord to reveal the hidden secret to you. It may be that he spared further angish later down. When death strikes, we sometimes wonder if there is a God but yes he has asked us to trust him at all times. My Lady I love you and it hurts me to see you continue to be hurting yourself. Family members please let God be your guide. Forgive the young man and let God do what he has to do. Being angry is not going to get you anywhere. You the family now will be the one whom persons will percieve as being the bad ones. If Stebin asks for forgiveness, do so and stop cussing and making yourselves look so ignorant. God have asked to forgive seventy times seven and leave the Judgement to him. From the evidence we can see that those two boys shared something that you may not have been aware or perhaps you feel so angry that your son is dead that you want to see the young man behind bars for the rest of his life. Family members hold one another and cry yes cry but cherish the moment spent with your loved one who have gone to his maker. Death is utimate. Death comes to everyones home. There is not one of us whom death has not touched our homes our loved ones and yes our young loved one. Remember that your son would not want you to be so unhappy especially he was in the company of stebin that fateful morning. and we all heard from everyone that he wanted to see what stebin had and they were in conversation and not quarelling. Live and let the Lord do the rest. He has not forgotten his kindness to his people. Draw closer to the Lord for he cares and he understand your hurt. Be blessed Family members. God is beckoning to you- my child fall into his hands. Do not forego your blessing by carrying your burdens. We are all hopelessly lost withthout the Lord Jesus christ. I can hear your son saying Mummy I love you Be happy I am not lost but gone to the other part of the journey and mummy id you want to see me in the next life. serve the Lord with all your might. draw clser to him.. He will heal you and just remember all the good times we spent.
????????Nobody have time to read your essay!!!!!!!!
The essay is to comfort them and to let them know that the Lord cares. They cannot continue like that with a heavy load. May you also need to know that the Lord is the great Jehovah and judge. I think youshould get some time and read the essay in the Bible. So you find your bearing and love in your heart.Jesus Saves and he loves more than anyone can.
@???? strong wordS! very well agree with you….
Strong words my boy…. I agree with everything you said.
I am curious if any other charges were filed against this guy besides the manslaughter charge. What about possession of an unlicensed firearm and brandishing it.
Obstruction of justice: for lying to the Police during the investigation by telling them that he did not kill the guy.
You have to present a better case by charging him with these other offenses and showing the jurors that even if it was accidental, there were other contributing factors indicating that he was in violation of other laws.
Common Prosecutor!
the works of evil men follow dem, stebin will strick again just like my fellow friend from castle comfort…up to now there’s no justice for the prison officer’s son.
We should not judge. Do you know that if we repent and confess that Jesus is Lord and turnfrom our wicked ways, then we cast our burdens and we are saved. Remember the thief on Jesus Side on the Cross. Who are you to do God’s work that you know that Stebin will strike again. Be careful what youwiish. You do not know the condition of Stebin’s heart and what is his relationship with God. Stop this judging and using your tongue unwisely. Use your tongue to bless others even what you may see in your human form looks ugly. Christ can chage a lot of things in our country but we have to trust and obey him by not doing the things we are not do and gossip, lying, wishing bad for others are just the few of them God Bless you!
she has no grounds for an appeal.i hope a slick lawyer doesn’t take her money knowing full well that she can’t win that battle.
Tell her that…people say all kinds of things “appeal”- appeal what?
At this point the lady should live well alone. her son is already gone and nothing will bring him back. Live it in the hands of God.
sorry laurencia for your loss,God knows and sees everything my dear. let not your heart be troubled, your justice will come sooner than you think. just continue to trust in the Lord, and ask for his mercies, and blessings to see you through another day. It is hard for any parent to loose a child, and know one knows the pain unless they are in the situation, so my friend hold on and just live everthing up to the father.
i respect the jury’s decision….but why wasn’t he charged for possession of illegal firearm and ammunition?
y wasn’t this man charge for possession of an illegal firearm ?
I know the feeling of the mother but I believe she should relax an let God do the rest. Appealing the case is not going to bring back your son and stabin might still end up winning again.
This mother should just move on with her life and forgive Stebin. She giving allyou her version. Tell her to tell us what her son was doing drinking by the party on that night. And is not even night nuh. It was in the wee early hours of the morning. If your son was so much a saint and not Stebin’s friend, what was he doing there on the night? People, what allyou should do, is go down lagoon and find out if Stebin and this guy were friends, and trust me you will see a different light. That mother told all the witnesses to say they were never Stebins friend. You exppected the Jury to believe that lie. That was too much of a chorus. All of them suddenly saying Stebin was never my friend. Ohh i forgot, yeah, one was honest enough to say, yes he was my friend. I heard the mother saying that Stebin never liked Junior. what rubbish! If Stebin and Junior were nnever friends, Stebin would just stay so and hate him, for no reason. Come on mam, you know d man did not have and plan or intention to kill your son. and he left everybody at the party and showed his closest friend d gun. And Junior was happy to see d gun that he was reaching out to take it, all the witnesses said so. He wasn’t scared or frightened, because why, there were buddies. Shit happens sometimes. The Gun went off. None of then knew about the operation of the firearm. Up till this time Stebin neither Juniour knew how the firearm went off.
I feel you HYPE….. Stabin an junor was always friends.
HYPE so who should pay for his wrongful death????
will someone please tell this grieving mother that the state cannot appeal murder. double jeapordy is it. yu get tried for murder once, .
Lawrencia speak to a lawyer about a civil case or let him/her advise you on the best way forward.
what kinda stupid comment is dat?? d lady is still in pain..she has lost her son..u really think that it is easy? you think she would jus agree that it was an accident? her son is dead!!! her heart is bleeding and the only way it would stop is if her son comes back home which will never happen…keep your stupid comment to your self..wonder if you have a son or a daughter…you should just forget wat the lady says,,when u in a position like that a million words can come to ur mouth half of them you wont mean….i think that dno should run a survey for stupid ppl like you so ur comments wud never appear…ur pig!!!!!
Of course Burn Babylon. She should just agree it is an accident. She will always be hurting for a while until time heals the pain So you thing it is only she who has lost a son? Others like myself has lost a young loved ones and you cry sometimes at all odd times because you miss them but thethingyousayabout millions of words should come to the mouth is not nice to say. We who have loved a young love one and we trust in God, though we grieve we know that God knows best. He may have spared us of uglier things to come. And whilst we grieve, we place our burdens on the Father and we ask for strength and we remember our loved ones memories and man time, we remember the nice time and we can’t help smiling and sometimes cry as well because we wish they were there. We picture in our imaginations, where they seat, stand etc. But most of all we remember them as loving us and not wanting anything bad to happen to us. As a result we owe it to them to be happy and stay healthy. Let us pray for the Family in pain and hope they move closer to the greatest comforter of all.
My advice to you is file a wrongfull death suit.
I knew these people we live in the same neighbourhood ever since i was born and i have know them all for my entire life and she is lying for some things and i don’t understand why…keep in mind im not siding with anyone of them….but i remember clearly that they were all best of frends i always used to see them together and stuff…..both parties should say the truth and it will set them free smh.
She cannot pray for Stebin when he never give police the illegal gun. He did not get gun in no party, he had it already.
my advice to you mam is to ask God to give you strength to see this through. remember when Jesus was in the garden praying? he said “Father, take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” Just give it all to Jesus. ‘Justice is mine’ says the Lord. please do not allow anyone or anything to cause you to lose your soul. Pray, Pray, Pray. Peace to your home.
DNO i dont think the woman would like that pic of her son’ s murderer next to that article nh? she doh tired see his ugly face then? atleast ask her for a pic so we can know what she looks like so that we can sympathise with her when we see her please. Im a parent and can put myself in her position.
The man is no a murderer. And how LOW are u going to get? You calling the man ugly?
wow calling God’s creation “ugly”
I live in a neighborhood where boys go to different schools and have different interests, yet they are all friends. They will now and then cook a weekend pot (JOT). It is hard for me to believe that two boys went to the same primary school, lived in the same area just houses apart, and were not friends. Maybe Jr mother always warned him about hanging out with Stebin, but that does not mean they were not friends. They were sitting together and he was asking to see the gun. They had to be friends. Who in their right mind would just take a gun and shoot another person in the presence of friends.
Loss is painful but be realistic. No one is asking you to adopt Stebin as a son. But please forgive him and move on. None of Juniors friends could say that they saw him point a gun and shoot him. none of them could say that the two boys had a problem (beef)or were angry.
WTH. MOVE ON
Appeal my big toe. All i hear is “My son is dead so Stebin must go to jail.”
My question is, what if we advance the scenario for 30 more seconds.Would they all feel the same way?
STEBIN: Junior look at that.
JUNIOR: Let me see it.
STEBIN: (Hands gun to junior)- Here
JUNIOR: (Holds the gun) Where did it?
(Gun goes off and shoots Stebin accidentally)
What should happen parents of Junior?
yah you were there……if it was your relative I would love to see your scenario…
the guy should be charge for possession of the gun because it had the gun more than a month wayyyyyyyyyy before the incident. I understood he even use that very same gun on his mother, he place it in her mouth wanted to shoot her and she ran for help. investigate the matter he had with his mother
And mam, thank u for ur kind words
DNO .. can we see the letter in its entirety?
Involuntary manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, either express or implied. It is distinguished from voluntary manslaughter by the absence of intention. It is normally divided into two categories; constructive manslaughter and criminally negligent manslaughter.
I am confused, I thought they were two brothers…
I don’t think she should say that they could not have been friends. Growing I had friends my mother knew absolutely nothing about some who if she knew I dealt with I would have been skinned alive. She couldn’t know everything about her sonn we all were. Young we know how it is im sorry for her loss but she should consider that it may have been an unfortunate accident for true. Wanting something a Ccertain way doesn’t make it so and yes maybe I would be singing a different tune if it was my relative but that wouldn’t make it any more right
D person dat u hear wi……they were never frens!!!!!!!!!!!! Never!!!!! Not in a lifetime!!!! And fyi if u knew my mother’s relationship with us u wud knw dat we could and we can be open with her…she knew his friends..oh yes she did!!!she know all his friends and everybody dat was his friend is like a son or daughter to my mother up to dis day…..Stebin was nothing to my brother..Nothing!!!! Friend stebin want tell him go somewher else…..NB:Charlesworth Christopher JR had no relation with with Stebin Valentine,None!! If allu wish to accept wat stebin say dat is ur bznz..he can say wat he want cuz my brother not der to defend himself,y?? Cuz Stebin Killed him!!!
Sister of jr stop lying… Jr an stabin was always friends. You mother an rosie that use to be best bodies. Because that happen all of allu turn against one another. Forgive stabin an leave him for God.
Do you have a vocab problem? What does friends mean to you? If you have a friend your mother does not know then its an aquaintance or maybe you have reason to hide that friend. There is no way you can hike, fish, hangout and play football with a friend, grow up so close as stebin said and for your parents not to know. In your haste to shield stebin use your common sense
apparently you are no t using yours, because it can and does happen!!!!!!!! stop thinking with the back of your head and start thinking with the right part.
what a foolish, foolish commentary!
while i feel your pain, the best way forward now is to file a civil case and hold him liable for your son’s death… he has already been proven not criminally responsible for the death of your son….
so you file a civil suit and try get as much money as u can….
it cant bring back your son but that’s the most that can happen…..
unless some key piece of evidence comes up, i dont think the guy can be charged again….
even though a law suit is filed against Stebin, where would he get the funds to pay fore his actions
well then he would take the jail!!!!!!!
DNO i dont believe she can appeal. i follow court news and i dont think that she can. check and verify.
this guy should at least be convicted of involuntary manslaughter…and what about the fact that he owned an illegal gun…….
How can she appeal a decision in a criminal matter? Only the prosecution can appeal the jury’s decision. I feel her pain but someone needs to educate this poor woman before she suffers another disappointment.
Only the defence can appeal. Get your facts straight
You’re an idiot – Four years of law school taught me that the prosecution can also appeal the judges decision!
Only God knows..sorry you lost your son..only he can comfort you..just put your hope in God. I have a son too and i know how mother loves her children. alas i not in any position to say he do it intentionally. God alone knows and the guys knows if he planned it. tough really tough mammy. Father may you wrap this lady in your arms during her time of grief. I do not know any of you but i understand the situation. It is hard really hard.
What does God have to do with this? Wasn’t he there when her son was killed? What is wrong with you religious zealots that you must insert God into everything.
do you have to prove intent with a manslaughter charge?
Tell this mother get off the Stebein bark. Go to church and pray for God will see it through. Stop and hate lady and get real. It was an accident and stop preaching violence. She now has to pray for Stebin!
oh so he should kill d woman child and get away with it just like that? stupessss are u serious voyager? that’s a load of shit u’re talking. stebin has yet to pay for taking the life of an innocent man, so shut up with ur stupidness about get off stebin’s back. may h drown in her tears
FYI she prays a lot..and u never heard her preach any violence,she simply seeks justice. Get off stebin **back??? I don’t think u see her on it…if Stebin was a person with good character den it mite have a chance to believe it was an accident..u maybe doe knw stebin don’t let his lil face fool u..don’t be fooled!!! If one lagoon person tell u dat thee Stebin Valentine is a good character,I don’t even know wat to say about d person….
@sister…. everybody has a good in them….stebin may have bad characters but some part of him is good. you maybe have some bad characteristics…
shut the hell up. You must be childless to be making such comments. I hope if it was you child you would keep your mouth shut and pray. You never how hot the fire is until you in it. YOU NEED TO PRAY THAT YOU NEVER GET IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS. stop being foolish.
you wish eh, stebin will well burn
if stebin was ur brother or ur sister boyfriend and so on i wonder what u would say.