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Trial by jury | Accused acquitted of attempted murder, guilty of grievous bodily harm
Jurors have returned a ‘not guilty’ verdict in Nazzareno Briffa’s trial for attempted murder of his cousin, but guilty of causing him grievous bodily harm.
6 October 2012, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
After almost a week on trial, jurors have this evening returned a not guilty verdict against Nazzareno Briffa, 49 of Birkirkara of the attempted murder of Peter Borg, known as 'Il-Hassi' in 2009.
Briffa, however, was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to Borg, when he shot him in the face in Birkirkara, for allegedly insulting him over his dog.
According to the jurors, Briffa acted out of "sudden passion" at a time when he was inebriated.
On releasing the jurors from further duty, Judge Lawrence Quintano who presided the trial, adjourned the court for sentencing to next Tuesday.
In his submissions on sentencing, defence lawyer Edward Gatt pleaded for clemency for his client, it should consider that his Briffa had been provoked.
He called on the court not to impose an effective jail term.
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So I have an argument with my cousin. Then I go home, get my gun and go over to his home, farm, and start shooting at him. There is no excuse for pre meditated murder. This man wanted to hurt or kill his cousin. One more thing, if God forbid, I go through something like this and I am accused of pre meditated murder, I hope I get the same Judge, the same Defense Lawyer and the same Jury Panel. Now I know what they mean when they say, some people can get away with murder.
