Nassau, Bahamas- Back in 1983, a jilted cop shot and killed the mother of his two children after he saw her out with her new lover on her 23rd birthday.
Stephen Sands Sr was charged with the murder of Sharlene Morley over the October 30 incident. However, on November 19, 1984 a jury convicted him of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
He was handed a life sentence, which the Court of Appeal replaced with a 15-year prison sentence on June 27, 1985.
Sands served eight years in prison and, despite his violent past, he became a teacher in the public school system in 1996.
Sands worked at various schools and eventually became principal of the North Andros High School.
In 2014, residents called for his removal after learning of his conviction for the unlawful killing.
As a result, Sands was transferred to New Providence to serve as a district education officer at the Ministry of Education. He remained there until his death in 2017 at age 57.
Couple split over infidelity
According to the evidence at the murder trial, Sands and Morley met in Freeport in June 1980. Soon after, they started living together and she had two children for him.
The couple split in August 1982 after Sands learned that Sharlene was cheating on him with another man. As a result, Sands moved to Nassau. According to the defence, he was later joined by Sharlene and they rekindled their relationship and remained together until her shooting death.
On the other hand, Sharlene’s sister, Kimberley Morley, testified that the relationship ended in August 1983 when Sharlene moved in with her.
Around that time, Sharlene began an intimate relationship with another police officer Dennis McKenzie. Sands was aware of the relationship and resented it.
Gun acquired three days before shooting
While armed with a shotgun, Sands ambushed the couple on October 30, 1983. They were about to get into McKenzie’s car after delivering a piece of Sharlene’s birthday cake to his mother.
Sands fired seven times and Sharlene was fatally wounded. McKenzie, who took shelter behind his car, was unhurt.
There was evidence that Sands acquired the shotgun three days before the incident.
The prosecution contended that he got the gun to kill Sharlene.
In contrast, the defense said that Sands did not have murderous intent when he obtained the firearm.
Rather, Sands claimed he expected to be transferred shortly to the Family Islands and he got the gun for hunting.
But, Sands said he lost his self-control after seeing the mother of his children with another man.
He took the loaded shotgun from the trunk of his car and opened fire.
The defense said Sands was provoked by Sharlene’s previous infidelity and her liaison with McKenzie.
Appeal
At the appeal, defense lawyer Malcolm Adderley said the judge should have imposed a fixed sentence as there was no evidence that Sands suffered from any mental abnormality or that the public required protection from him.
Solicitor General Burton Hall submitted that Sands’ self-confessed brooding, which led to Sharlene’s death, disclosed mental instability and warranted a life sentence.
The Court of Appeal sided with Mr Adderley’s submissions.
The Court said, “In our view there was no evidence of mental disorder or instability in the appellant. This was a classic case of a crime passionel or the “eternal triangle” and a definitive sentence was the appropriate sentence to be imposed.
“We have given careful consideration to this question and are of the view that a fitting sentence in the circumstances is imprisonment for 15 years.”
Lisa Brown I take exception with your article. “a jilted cop” where did you get this from? You seem to be putting your personal bias in your writing. When Sands died students/teachers from Acklins and Andros even the former MP for Fox Hill attended his funeral. Over 200 people who all poured the love for this man. Please don’t make him seem like some killer who became a principal. After his release he worked hard for over a decade and went back to school and obtained a degree. His children and extension grandchildren loved him and mourned his death. I’m not excusing him crime of passion but he paid his debt to society and was more than qualified to become a principal of several schools. Obviously you didn’t interview anyone at the ministry or any of the schools he taught/manage. What about Sands family? Next time stick to the facts and don’t try to make it seem as if he was just some killer terrorizing children.
He was convicted of a killing and later became a principal. Those are the facts. What he did afterwards doesn’t change the fact that he committed a heinous crime that carries a potential life sentence. Mr Sands was able to realize his full potential. However, he denied Ms Morley that chance by unjustifiably taking her life
No one is denying that killing is a serious crime. However, what does his prior conviction have to do with his career after prison. We all make mistakes in life. What you do afterwards how to learn from your mistakes and better no only yourself but others lives is how you move on. I can tell you from personal account he bettered so many other peoples lives. I know how sorry he was for what he did. Although he’s gone he was loved and missed by a whole lot of people. I wish you could have meet him before you judged him.