Murder Accused Chin Gives Unsworn Statement‬

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Wednesday, 09 November 2011 02:30

By caribarena news

‪Antigua St John's - “November 28 (2009), I was shock, in pain to see someone that I loved died. On November 28, I Jay Marie Chin did not shoot Raymond Chin,” the accused told the court on Tuesday while making an unsworn statement.

Chin is alleged to have murdered her ex-husband on November 28, 2009 at the Jay Chin Top Notch Variety Store - a business they co-owned.

She gave an emotional account of how they met, and said they had been introduced by her sister on a Sunday. They moved in together that Monday and lived together until his death. Their wedding on March 16, 2004 was followed by a honeymoon in Jamaica for eight days.

The accused referred to her ex-husband as loving, caring, affectionate and passionate, a good friend, and her good friend.

“Into my eight-and-a-half years of being with him (Raymond), I never had violence," she said. "I never had no kind of violence whatsoever. Before owning the store, I had been selling on the street and he (Raymond) introduced me to the location of the store. Raymond Chin and I were like a team. We did our shopping together. We did everything together. All of our trips and vacation, and that we came to Jamaica and Antigua was for the business."

On the day of his death, they arrived at the store at about 10 am.

Chin said her ex-husband went to Kennedy’s three times that afternoon, and she accompanied him on one of the trips.

The 34 year old told the court that she did not kill her husband, nor did she have any involvement in his death.

She said while walking back to the store from the bathroom, she saw a man jump over the store’s gallery. He was about 5'6" in height, of medium build, and wore a black hood.

“...I did tell the police I did not shoot or know anything about the incident," she said. “I told the police department I did not own a gun or shot Raymond repeatedly, over and over and over again. On arrival at the store, I saw Raymond Chin shot. Within the eight-and-a-half years I know Raymond Chin, I had no reason to harm Raymond Chin."

Two witnesses were called to testify on Chin’s behalf. Charmaine Browne and Lucia Browne-Matthew, both her second cousins, said the Chins had a loving relationship.

The sisters told the court that the couple ate from one plate - with one fork and one knife - and drank from one glass.

It was customary, they said, for Raymond Chin to feed the accused.

“That’s how they always do it. He (Raymond) would feed her first and then he would eat," Browne said. "She never touched a fork. That’s how they always do it. They bathed and watched TV at my house."

Browne testified that the accused, up to the time of her ex-husband’s death, referred to and introduced him to people as her husband.

She added the couple appeared to be in love; her sister agreed.

While being cross examined by Crown Counsel Adlai Smith, both women expressed differing views as to why Chin went to the bathroom that day.

Browne denied being told that Chin went to the bathroom to get wipes for Raymond’s shoes. Browne-Matthew, on the other hand, said she was told that Chin went to the bathroom to get wipes to clean the shoes.

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The sisters also had conflicting evidence about whether Chin heard anything while she was in the bathroom.

Browne-Matthew said Chin told her she heard an explosion, but that she did not think it was coming from the store. Browne said her cousin told her she did not hear anything, because she was in the bathroom at the back of the building.

The sisters were unaware that the couple was divorced.

Two witnesses who could not appear in court on Tuesday are expected to testify on Chin’s behalf on Wednesday.

Shannon Jones is assisting Smith in prosecuting the case, while John Fuller, Cosbert Cumberbatch, and Charlesworth Browne are representing Chin.


The deceased was shot, the police were first told, during an alleged robbery. Based on certain leads, investigators began to suspect that Chin might be involved. She was later arrested and charged with murder.

See related stories:

Prosecution Closes Case In Chin Murder Trial

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