By Elesha George
Brittany Jno-Baptiste, a 24-year-old accused of killing 66-year-old Wendy Jane Finch three years ago, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The change of plea happened in the High Court yesterday morning when Jno-Baptiste, who initially denied the charge of murder, admitted to the lesser offense.
Her lawyer, Wendel Alexander, petitioned the court to amend the plea under Chapter 300 of the Offences Against the Person Act, which permits such a change if the defendant was suffering from an “abnormality of mind” that substantially impaired their mental responsibility at the time of the act.
Justice Tunde Bakre accepted the plea, which was endorsed by the prosecution and the jury. Jno-Baptiste will now face sentencing on February 10, 2025, after the court reviews a social inquiry report.
Finch was killed in her Piccadilly home on October 4, 2021. Jno-Baptiste reportedly became enraged after Finch refused her request to use her phone late that night. During her statement, Jno-Baptiste admitted to being under the influence of marijuana at the time, claiming she was “not in [her] right head” and experiencing hallucinations of “ghosts and jumbies”.
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr James King diagnosed Jno-Baptiste with cannabis-related disorders in 2022, a factor that influenced the court’s decision to accept her plea.
Jno-Baptiste has apologised to Finch’s family and her own family for the anguish she caused, expressing remorse for her actions.
