NASSAU-The Court of Appeal on Monday refused to increase the attempted murder sentence of a woman who stabbed her former boyfriend in the neck.
Ernesta Butler, now 24, is serving seven years in prison for the attempted murder of Trevor Taylor, with whom she has two young children.
Butler could have received a life sentence for plunging a knife in Mr. Taylor’s neck during a fight at his home on October 23, 2016.
In sentencing, Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns departed from sentencing guidelines after considering Butler’s youth and the welfare of her children, ages four and seven.
Prosecutors appealed Butler’s sentence, arguing that the trial judge went too easy on her. They asked the Court of Appeal to increase Butler’s sentence to 17 to 20 years.
In a majority decision, the appellate tribunal found that sentences of less than 10 years for attempted murder were not uncommon in The Bahamas or other juridisctions.
Accordng to Court of Appeal President Sir Michael Barnett, those sentences were given in cases where the attacks were “sparked by emotions” and the perpetrator posed no further risk to society.
According to the prosecution, Butler, then 21, came to Mr. Taylor’s home at Strachan’s Alley and questioned him about a friend with whom he had gone out earlier that night.
Mr. Taylor replied since it didn’t concern their children, it wasn’t her business. Taylor testified that he tried to leave the house, but Butler stopped him.
At this point, he saw the knife in her hand. He said Butler pushed him. She stabbed him in the neck after he pushed her back.
Mr. Taylor said he sustained two other injuries as he struggled to disarm her. A doctor testified that Mr. Taylor would have died if he didn’t undergo emergency surgery.
For her part, Butler didn’t deny stabbing Mr. Taylor. However, she claimed she acted in self-defence.
Butler admitted that their row turned physical, but she said that Mr. Taylor was the aggressor.
According to her, she stabbed Mr. Taylor after he had body-slammed and choked her.
