NASSAU- A man who beat a 64-year-old man to death with a conch shell has had his sentence cut by appeal judges.
Ashley Hield was 21 when he bludgeoned John Frazier in 2015.
He was charged with murder, but jurors convicted him of the lesser crime of manslaughter in 2019.
As a result, he was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.
His lawyer, Stanley Rolle, argued that the trial judge did not impose a sentence in accordance with the jury’s verdict.
The Court of Appeal agreed and cut his sentence to 20 years.
After receiving credit for time spent on remand, Hield’s sentence was reduced to 16 years and five years.
According to the prosecution’s case, on August 24, 2015, Frazier asked two men on Gibbs Corner if they wanted to make five dollars by assisting him and his friend, Ted, change a flat tire.
Hield robbed Frazier of his gold chain while Ted went to a store to change a $20 note to pay them.
Frazier followed Hield, requesting the return of his chain.
According to witnesses, Hield hit Frazier in the head about five times with a conch shell.
Frazier tried to get up, but Hield attacked him again.
In his testimony, Hield said that while helping change the tire Frazier began rushing him.
This annoyed him and tried to leave.
However, he and Frazier ended up “hassling.”
Hield said he walked off, but Frazier pursued him seeking payment for chain that had popped in the hassle.
He said Frazier threw rocks at him from behind and began charging at him with a broken a bottle, making him fearful for his life.
That’s when he picked up the conch shell and hit Frazier in the head.
