Death penalty for Bass and Matthew!!

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Lumumba Matthew and Justin Bass

The men were convicted in July, 2008 for the January 12, 2007 incidents and were returned to court on October 6, 2008 to be sentenced. On that date they presented pleas in mitigation through their lawyers, after which the trial judge, His Lordship Justice Francis Belle, indicated that, as prescribed by law, he would have to present his judgment in writing.

A 12-member jury found that the men were guilty of journeying to the Bayfords area and shooting at and seriously injuring the Berry brothers while they passed by in Dion’s motor jeep.  While Dion survived the ordeal, Darren succumbed to his injuries.

This morning, the men returned to court and Justice Belle indicated that he took into consideration all mitigating factors as well as facts, the commission of the offence and the character and record of the convicts.

Justice Belle described the attack that the convicted men launched on the Berry Brothers as “brutal and relentless”.  He also noted that although the men showed some sort of compassion, in that they expressed their sorrow for what had happened to the brothers, they are not remorseful of the actual commission of the act.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Justice Belle explained that the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating factors in the matter. He further explained that having weighed all factors presented before him, he has decided to sentence the two men to death by hanging for the offence of murder and 10 years imprisonment each with hard labour for attempted murder.

The men were immediately removed from the court room, but just before they were taken to Her Majesty’s Prison as condemned men, they were afforded one last opportunity to see their relatives.

This brings to nine, the number of condemned prisoners at Her Majesty’s Prison.