Wheatley has been cleared of knowingly having in his possession three forged $20 notes when he was found not guilty in the High Court yesterday June 5, 2012.

Wheatley was on trial for being in possession of forged notes, and had maintained his innocence throughout the trial.

Prior to the jury’s verdict, the young man had taken the stand yesterday and testified that he did visit the Parham Town Market in East End on three occasions on September 20, 2010 and each time carrying a $20 bill that he claimed were given to him by a “Shannon” who is said to be “crippled” to purchase “drinks” while he was working part-time at a car wash, a short distance from the store.

Wheatley told the court that when the cashier informed him after the final purchases that the notes were fake, his response to her was that it had nothing to do with him as he was sent by someone.

The now freed man claimed he left the market and returned to the person who gave him the notes. “I told him he was trying to set me up and give him his change and I went.”

In her closing arguments, Attorney Ruthilia Maximea had argued that her client took the money from the individual who is disabled and went to purchase the drinks each time he was asked and he also did so in the presence of his then part time employer at the car wash.

“Carl was being used and didn’t know. They looked real and felt real. He did what an ordinary person would do,” she said.

Mrs. Maximea also noted that her client had problems with his memory. His mother, who took the stand, testified that her son lost his father at 12. She also testified that he burst a vein in his head and had to be flown to Puerto Rico for medical treatment when he was about 15 years old. The mother claimed that from then her son seemed to have had a problem remembering things even had to leave school as a result of his condition.

Wheatley's mother revealed in court that she often has to remind him to do many things and even yesterday morning she had to remind him to come to court. The mother also disclosed that Wheatley suffers from regular seizures and even got one up to last week and was a very honest person.

She further stated that her son told her about what had happened on the day when he went to purchase the drinks but told her that he did not know the monies were fake.

Meanwhile, Crown Counsel Sara Benjamin in her arguments said that Wheatley was “playing forgetful and pretended he doesn’t know what is happening”.

She had argued on one occasion while making the purchases, the cashier allegedly told Wheatley that he was taking all her change to which she claimed Wheatley responded by stating “the money good”.