Winston Hamilton, a 35-year-old mason of Rae Town in Kingston, was freed of rape and illegal possession of a firearm charges in the Gun Court yesterday. Hamilton’s lawyer submitted a no-case submission based on the fact that DNA tests and comparisons with the semen on Hamilton’s underpants (seized when he was arrested) and from the condom that the alleged attacker wore, did not match. The judge upheld the no-case submission, and Hamilton was freed.
Hamilton however, is reportedly planning to file a suit against the Government, as his lawyer stated that eight months ago, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) obtained DNA results which clearly stated that Hamilton was excluded from the crime; but still, they went ahead with the case.
A female vendor, Janet Findley, who used a chopper to injure another woman (Cornelia McDonald) on her leg during a fight over hand cart space in Downtown Kingston, was fined $30,000 (or serve six months in prison) when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday. It is alleged that McDonald had parked her hand cart on Orange Street, when Findley came along and moved McDonald’s cart, putting her own hand cart in the spot instead. This reportedly lead to a fight between the two.
McDonald was also before the court, because she was charged with stabbing Findley in the chest during the same incident. Findley pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, and the sentence was handed down, however McDonald pleaded not guilty to felonious wounding, and is to return to court on January 18.
Two security guards – Alano Harris and Gladston Dixon – employed to Atlas Security Company, were arrested and charged jointly on Friday with larceny and conspiracy to steal J$13 million. The two were among six Atlas Security Guards who were detained last month in connection with the disappearance of the money from an armoured vehicle that was parked at Atlas Security Company’s base. The other four guards were released.
According to reports, Dixon (who is a courier), reportedly loaded eight bags of money onto the armoured vehicle. However, later that morning, one of the bags containing $13 million was missing. Dixon and Harris were arrested and charged after several days of intensive investigations.
They are currently being held in custody without bail, and are scheduled to appear in the Corporate Area Criminal Court tomorrow (January 12, 2010).
Devon Reid, of a St. James address, appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court recently, where he faced allegations that he used profanity to a six year old boy before boxing (slapping him across the face) during a dispute over a toy car.
It is alleged that on December 13, 2009, in the district of Montpelier in St. James, the boy’s mother sent him to a shop, but when he later returned, he did not have her change and his face was swollen. He told her that Reid had hit him. She reportedly accosted Reid who she alleged pulled a machete on her. Reid in turn, told the court that his son had missed his toy car, and when he saw the complainant with it, he asked him to hand it over, and when he refused, he held on to him, and during that time his hand “might have caught the boy”. He added that he never intended to hit the child. He also said that when the child’s mother came quarelling, he walked away from her.
Reid’s bail was extended, and the Magistrate sent him along with the complainant’s mother to mediation in an effort to have it settled out of court.
According to statistics released by the police just yesterday, 2009 was a record year for murders in Jamaica. According to the stats, 1680 murders were recorded last year, 62 more than the 1618 that were recorded in 2008, and 6 more than the previous record year – 2005.
According to the stats, approximately 52 per cent (859) of the murders committed in 2009 “were due to intra-gang and internal gang feuds, in addition to reprisal killings”.
October was the deadliest month last year, with 177 murders being recorded, and there was no month when there were fewer than 100 murders recorded.
1292 (77%) of the deaths were attributed to the gun, and knives/machetes were used to kill 227 (13.5%) persons last year. Seventeen murders were committed during drive-by shootings.
There were 74 double murders, nine triple murders and three instances where more than three people were killed in a single incident in 2009.
163 women and 81 children were among those killed in 2009.
Interestingly, 240 murders were committed in the St. James Police Division, the highest number of murders recorded in any of the total 19 divisions. St. James has now topped the volatile St. Andrew South Division and Clarendon as the division with the most murders.
Interestingly also, of the 1680 murders committed last year, detectives were only able to clear up a staggeringly low 21%.
21 year old Oshane Foster, of a St. Catherine address, was sentenced to 30 days at hard labour in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to defecating in the yard of a woman (his landlord) with whom he had a disagreement.
The court heard that the two had a dispute, and Foster was ordered to leave the premises. He reportedly relocated to a property a short distance away, but went back at a later date and defecated on her lawn. The complainant said she was inside her house and heard strange sounds coming from a corner of the yard. Upon investigating, she saw the accused with his pants down, defecating on her lawn.
She contacted the police, and an investigation led to Foster’s arrest. He was charged with breaches of the National Solid Waste Management Agency Act.
Desmond Pallache, who used a machete to slap his wife several times and bit her on her breast, almost completely detaching her nipple, was sentenced earlier today in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to 30 days in prison.
The complainant told the court that the accused had filed for divorce and they were separated. She said they had a dispute, and that the accused later came into her room with a machete, tore off her blouse and slapped her with the machete across the shoulder. She said she fell to the ground and he continued hitting her with the machete. She said she bit him in a bid to escape, and he in turn bit her on one of he nipples, almost completely detaching it. Neighbors then came to her rescue.
He was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, and begged for a chance in court yesterday, after hearing that he could face up to three years in prison for what he had done.
An early morning domestic dispute yesterday morning in Bog Walk, St. Catherine, has resulted in the death of a man and the critical injuring of his common-law wife.
37 year old Michael White is dead, while his thirty-year-old year old common-law wife, Marcia Barrett, (a teacher at Troja Primary and Junior High School in St. Catherine) is reportedly battling for life in hospital.
According to police reports, at approximately 5 a.m. yesterday morning, the couple was at home when an argument developed after Mr. White accused Miss Barrett of having an affair. It is alleged that Mr. White used a machete chop Miss Barrett all over her body before using the machete to stab himself.
Residents rushed the injured couple to the Linstead Hospital where Mr. White was pronounced dead, and Miss Barrett admitted in critical condition. She was later transferred to the Spanish Town Hospital.
One of two men who reportedly stole a motor car (a taxi) from its owner, died when he was crushed after the vehicle collided with another motor car. A firearm was seized during the incident.
According to police reports, at approximately 6:15 this morning, two gunmen pretended to be passengers and boarded a taxi. They pulled their weapons and ordered the driver and two passengers — a man and a woman — out, then sped off in the vehicle. The driver of another taxi saw what was happening, picked up the driver of the hijacked taxi and proceeded to chase the thieves.
The chase ended near the Waltham Park and Molynes roads intersection when the stolen car crashed into a black Honda motor car and flipped onto its top. One of the gunmen (who is unidentified) was crushed to death on the spot, while the other fled the scene and was found hiding in a yard and arrested shortly after.
A chef who reportedly cooked and served a soup with dog meat for some patrons who owed him money, was reportedly beaten by the men on Saturday (January 2), after he allegedly announced spitefully to them that they were drinking dog soup.
It is said that the men stopped by his shop (as they always do) after their weekly football game, and went to buy soup. After serving them the soup and then getting in an argument with them about their outstanding bills, the chef reportedly made the announcement about the soup having dog meat. His confession was reportedly followed by a severe thrashing from the men.
