Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon.Dennis Merchant

 

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 18TH 2007 (CUOPM)– A message from the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis that the death penalty will be carried out to deter criminal activity in the twin-island Federation.

 

The message is contained in the post Cabinet Briefing on Monday following a report to Cabinet by Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon. Dennis Merchant. During the Cabinet Meeting, the Attorney General reported on the matter of capital punishment in the case of Evanson Mitcham.

 

"Following an order by the Governor General for the execution of Mitcham, an application was made for Leave to Appeal to the Privy Council, which was granted. A Conservatory Order granting the stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal by the Privy Council was made," said Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty.

 

He said that a date for the actual appeal will be determined later and the public will be duly informed.

 

"The government confirmed its commitment to support the use of capital punishment to punish convicted murderers and to deter criminal activity,"  said Carty at the Post Cabinet briefing. ~~Adz:Right~~