Justin Bennett has been found guilty of manslaughter in the stabbing death of his uncle, Scott Bennett, on the city’s east side in February of last year after about four hours of jury deliberations.
Justin Bennett admits that he stabbed his uncle Scott Bennett on November 4 of last year at his grandmother’s house on Norris Road during a confrontation involving Justin, Scott Bennett, and two of Justin’s friends—the defence claims it was self-defence while the prosecution says he acted in anger. There’s no evidence that anyone else was involved in the stabbing of Scott Bennett who was stabbed six times. All of his wounds were in the back, shoulder and neck area.
In his final instructions to the jury, Justice Thomas Christie telling jurors that for them to find Justin Bennett guilty of manslaughter the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Justin Bennett caused Scott Bennett’s death and that he did so unlawfully. There are two possible verdicts that the jury can bring back in this trial: guilty or not guilty of manslaughter.
Justin Bennett was 18 at the time of the stabbing on the Norris Road while Scott Bennett was 31.
