The jury in the murder trial of two teenagers accused of killing 15-year-old Amen Teklay will resume their deliberations on Monday morning after failing to reach a verdict by Friday afternoon. The two defendants, aged 16 and 17, cannot be named due to their age. They are charged with murdering Amen in a sword attack in Glasgow's Maryhill area on March 5 last year.
Details of the Incident
Amen Teklay was found seriously injured on Clarendon Street, Maryhill, Glasgow, on the evening of March 5 and died at the scene. The murder charge alleges that the two teenage boys, with their faces masked, assaulted Amen and brandished a frying pan and a sword or similar instrument at him on Glenfarg Street and Clarendon Street. It is alleged that the pair chased Amen and struck him on the body with the sword, causing fatal injuries. Both boys deny the charge, and the 16-year-old has lodged a special defence of self-defence.
Judge's Instructions to the Jury
Judge Lord Colbeck instructed the jury to give the case their “careful attention” and emphasized that they are the ones who decide whether it constitutes murder. He stated that if the jury accepts the first accused’s defence that he acted in self-defence, they must acquit. The 16-year-old admits stabbing Amen, but the key issue is whether he acted in self-defence or was provoked. Lord Colbeck also said that if the jury finds the first accused guilty, they must then consider whether the second accused acted in concert with him.
Defence Arguments
Earlier on Friday, Iain McSporran KC, representing the 17-year-old second accused, addressed jurors for about an hour. He said his client had assisted police with their investigation and spoke at length to detectives in the days after Amen’s death. McSporran stated, “As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing wrong.” He argued that prosecutors had overreached by charging his client and that the 17-year-old “was not involved in any feud or drug dealing or gang.” McSporran added that his client had enough knowledge to be “wary” of Amen but wished him no harm, saying, “He did not lay a finger on Amen Teklay and the prosecution do not say otherwise.”
Lack of Evidence Alleged
McSporran claimed there was a lack of evidence to convict his client on the basis of a common criminal enterprise with the first accused. He noted that on the day of the incident, Amen Teklay had “gone out of his way” to find the first accused and that Amen had been armed with a weapon described as a “cutlass” or a “pirate sword.” McSporran told jurors, “I have no doubt that [Amen’s] family loves him and misses him,” but added, “By your verdict you cannot restore Amen Teklay to his family… Sympathy plays no part in the verdict process.”
Next Steps
Jurors at the High Court of Glasgow retired to start their deliberations on Friday afternoon but failed to reach a verdict by 4pm. Deliberations are set to resume on Monday morning, July 6, when the jury will continue to consider the evidence and reach a decision.
