Feb. 1, 2007 — Bail has been set at $100,000 for a murder suspect charged with the stabbing death of 37-year-old Glenn Blyden, who was killed Sunday near the Lionel Roberts Stadium on St. Thomas. The suspect, 27-year-old Chris Carty, was advised of his rights on Wednesday by V.I. Superior Court Judge Leon Kendall, in a hearing held at the Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.
Carty has remained in the hospital since Sunday's incident, treated for wounds he allegedly sustained during a fight with Blyden. He was officially arrested at 6:10 p.m. Tuesday while still at Schneider, charged with first-degree murder and possession of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
Autopsy reports show that Blyden — who was pronounced dead around 5 p.m. Sunday — died of a single stab wound to the neck.
Carty was also advised of his rights during a previous hearing held Tuesday morning at the hospital. The charge this time was for allegedly stabbing a local vendor in the eye. The hearing was also presided over by Kendall, who released Carty on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
According to Superior Court documents, Carty was arrested Monday after a local vendor told police that Carty on Sunday had stabbed him in his left eye at the Ital Irie Vegetarian Food stand near Lionel Roberts Stadium. "[The victim] said he saw Chris walking back and forth near the stand on Sunday but did not pay attention to him at the time," Police Detective Lionel Bess said in a probable cause fact sheet filed with the court.
The victim added that Carty then stabbed him in the eye and walked away.
Carty's statement, which was taken after he was advised of his rights on Monday, gives a different account of the events. "Mr. Carty said that he went by the Ital restaurant near Lionel Roberts Stadium to buy some funta (a tobacco leaf). Mr. Carty went on to say that [the victim] kicked him and told him to leave," Bess said.
According to the documents, Carty allegedly stabbed the vendor with a pair of scissors, then left the scene.
The victim was transported to Schneider hospital, where he "went into surgery and received 20 stitches," Bess' report says.
The second incident–during which Blyden was killed– occurred soon after, according to a probable cause fact sheet filed by Police Detective Albion George.
George writes that around 5:15 p.m. Sunday, he was dispatched to investigate a homicide that occurred in the Hospital Ground area known as "Jah Yard." Witnesses at the scene said that Blyden was playing dominoes when Carty walked into the yard.
"He [Carty] walked around, not saying anything. The witnesses said they all asked Mr. Carty what was wrong, and he replied…Witness 1 said Chris started to hit Glenn Blyden and they both got into a physical altercation," George's report says. "According to the witness, during the altercation, Carty took a knife out of his waist and stabbed the deceased in the neck with it."
Both Blyden and Carty were subsequently taken to the hospital, where Blyden was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Carty is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 8 at 9 a.m.
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