Good samaritan Deka Kennedy died in bid to help woman

Jun 9 2009 The Journal

A GOOD Samaritan was knifed to death when he tried to rescue a woman from an attack by her boyfriend.

Killer Paul Morrison had been assaulting Jamie Leigh Eunson in the street when a passer-by asked Deka Kennedy to intervene.

The 29-year-old waded into the domestic dispute, but was stabbed in the groin by Morrison. Murder jurors at Newcastle Crown Court heard Mr Kennedy suffered catastrophic blood loss after the knife went through a vein and artery and into his pubic bone.

Morrison has admitted manslaughter, but denies murder on the grounds he did not intend to do him really serious harm.

Michael Graham, prosecuting, said of Mr Kennedy: “He had been asked by a passing motorist to intervene in a nearby ongoing incident, to stop the defendant assaulting a female. Having gone to the aid of the female – the defendant’s girlfriend – and having interrupted the defendant, Mr Kennedy was stabbed to the groin.

“The path of the wound to his groin had passed through a main artery and vein, causing profound and catastrophic blood loss.

“Attempts were made to resuscitate Mr Kennedy and stem the flow of blood but despite sustained efforts at the scene and an emergency operation at hospital, he died during the early hours of the next morning.”