Murder accused Sheldon “Rhino” Henry appeared in court yesterday charged with escaping lawful custody from the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital, and told the presiding magistrate that he enjoyed his short-lived freedom and committed no crimes while on the run.
With his hands handcuffed behind his back for the duration of his court appearance, Henry spoke of alleged abuse at the hands of prisons officers and the delay in his court matters.
Henry, who had bruises on his left wrist, forearm, middle and ring fingers along with bruising on his right little finger, stated that the harsh treatment and slow criminal justice system led him to escape. Henry told Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar that it was police who gave him the name Sheldon Thomas and his real name is Sheldon Shaka Ajuju Henry.
“Ma’am the justice system failing me and forcing me to take illegal means. They don’t want me to go home. I paid my lawyer $120,000 and my lawyer passing me straight in the court. Ma’am while I was outside enjoying my little freedom I never pick up a knife, an ice-pick or a gun,” Henry said.
When told of his 16 pending matters, Henry, with an eidetic memory, said 13 of them were either dismissed or he served time for, and he has two pending High Court matters in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando for gun and ammunition possession and murder, respectively. Henry was unsure about the outcome of another gun and ammunition possession case in the Port-of-Spain district.
“They wanted to inject me in St Ann’s, ma’am, but that is very unfair because I not mad, I good in my head. The judicial system failing me. Since I am 19 I lock up and I am 32 years now and none of my matters start,” Henry said, adding that he has been in custody “since Big Bird was a humming bird,” causing the courtroom to erupt into laughter.
Henry told the Chief Magistrate that he was thankful for being alive after he was recaptured on Saturday night by Coast Guard officers in Chaguaramas, who later handed him over to the police. He added that he was also thankful for his days of freedom after his escape last Tuesday.
Henry’s mother, Claudine, also addressed the Chief Magistrate and said she would like to “fight this case with my son.” Henry had earlier told Ayers-Caesar that he was not going to hire an attorney in the matter because of failed relationships with lawyers in the past. His mother added that all she wanted was for her son to be tried and if he has to be convicted so be it but the limbo stage waiting for his day in court is killing her.
“I feeling like is both of us lock up. Look at him, he need some good food, the amount of wickedness they do him inside. I and he will fight this case, ma’am,” his mother said, adding that she does not know much law but she knows what is “real, real.”
Before the matter was adjourned to April 21, attorney Shanice Edwards offered to assist Henry in his case pro bono (free of charge).
According to police reports, Henry along with five other men allegedly escaped from the St Ann’s Hospital’s Forensic Ward between midnight and 2 am on March 29 by cutting through the burglar proofing of Ward 27.
The other escapees, Kyron Lewis, Maikie Hendrickson, Gabriel Solomon, Michael Thomas and Andre Harvey, were either recaptured or surrendered the same day. They appeared in court last Friday.
Before he was allowed to leave the courtroom, court prosecutor Insp Mohammed queried where Henry will be remanded since last Friday the prison refused to accept the other five men on the grounds that their records showed they were supposed to be at the mental hospital.
After being assured by another officer that the prison will accept Henry, Henry was ordered to be remanded at the Port-of-Spain Prison. Henry was referred to the hospital on March 7 for observation, based on an order issued by a judge of the High Court.