BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TWO men, having been convicted of attempted murder, were each sent to serve seven years at Her Majesty's Prison.
The men, Akeem ‘Sheddy’ Parris and Javonne ‘Junie’ Hendrickson, were convicted on January 21, 2013 of attempting to murder Derrick Sawyer of St. Paul’s Village by suffocation; a crime they committed on October 13, 2011.
Appearing before His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas at the Basseterre High Court yesterday (Mar. 21), the two men solemnly begged for leniency.
In his plea for leniency, a stoic Parris stated that it is not easy being in prison and the penal institution is highly overpopulated. He made mention of his daughter whom he said was just two years old.
"I am new to this father thing and I would like to be there for her," he said.
Justice Thomas however told him that the Court was not concerned about the prison's overpopulation.
Speaking on Parris' behalf, his boss told the Court that while he deserved to be punished for his crime, it should have mercy on him.
"He has a daughter out there that I have to now take care of for him," Parris’s boss said.
Hendrickson, who displayed a similar expression to that of Parris during his plea for leniency, also made mention of his three children and stated that he had a little baby who just turned one.
He told the Court that the baby's mother has been struggling to take care of the child and that he would like to be able to provide her with the much needed assistance.
The judge asked him when he had found out about his children, and Hendrickson said that he knew from the very beginning.
"If you knew you had three kids, why you gone and get yourself in these things?" Justice Thomas asked.
In response, Hendrickson with a lowered head, tried to claim innocence of the crime but the judge told him not to go that ‘route’ because he was already convicted.
Parris' Social Inquiry Report (SIR) stated that he was not a trouble maker but he has a criminal record showing four previous convictions.
It said that he lacked proper parenting, as he received no guidance and found comfort in the wrong friends.
Hendrickson's SIR also described him as one whose parents provided no proper environment for him to be raised.
It said he had a hard life growing up but always managed to stay out of trouble as he has no criminal record.
The Report also noted that he should look at this mistake as a stepping stone in his life and try to learn from it and better himself.
Justice Thomas told the convicted men that their actions were unthinkable and noted that the man they tried to murder is a former priest.
He said Priests, Pastors, Apostles, Bishops - individuals of that nature are there throughout one's life.
The judge said they are there when a child is born and baptised, when prayer is needed, when one is getting married and when one is being laid to rest.
He stressed on the importance of persons of religion, noting that they are always well respected for spreading the Gospel and the assistance they give to their communities.
Justice Thomas said the Court viewed the men's crime as an abnormal one because of the vocation of the victim who would have died as a result had he not found the strength to overpower them.
He stated that the victim, whom they hit in his face and bled profusely, was in his mid 70s and the attack was unprovoked.
"Religion is deeply imbedded in this society and should be protected," he said before passing judgement.
The men were then sentenced to serve seven years each with the time they spent on remand accredited to their prison term.
