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Man broke curfew to avoid hitting girlfriend

David Stewart
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Man broke curfew to avoid hitting girlfriend

Nassau-A man broke the national curfew to cool off after a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, a court heard.

Police arrested Maxwell Bridgewater, 35, on Moore Avenue at 7pm on May 16 for failing to remain at home.

Bridgewater admitted the violation at his arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

He told the court that police would have locked him up for something else if he had stayed at the home that he shares with his girlfriend at Wilson Track after the domestic dispute.

Bridgewater said, “I decided to go by my family before I hit her or something worse.”

The magistrate told him that he had made the right decision.
McKinney said, “It’s preferable to leave a confined space with someone during a tense situation before it escalates. You chose the lesser of two evils.”



Despite his wise decision, Bridgewater didn’t get off completely.
The magistrate sentenced him to probation for three years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he’ll have to pay a $1,500 fine to avoid spending six months in prison.

Officials have reported a jump in cases of domestic violence as people are forced to remain at home.

Curfew violators face a maximum of 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,0000.

The measures were put in place to reduce the spread of the contagious disease that has killed more than 300,000 people worldwide.

The country has been under curfew since March 20. Since then, police have arrested more than 800 curfew violators.

COVID-19 and the courts

David Stewart
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COVID-19 and the courts

The courts have curtailed operations to reduce community transmission of the coronavirus.

However, some hearings still continue. Here is what you need to know:

Supreme Court bail hearings

New bail hearings remain suspended as long as the prison is under lockdown.

However, the Supreme Court will hear emergency bail applications for juveniles, senior citizens and the sick and in cases where the prosecution does not object to bail.

The deputy registrar in the criminal registry approves urgent bail applications.

Chief Justice Brian Moree recently announced that Supreme Court bail hearings that were set for March 24 to 26 will be re-listed soon. Judges will hear those bail applications by video-link.


Arraignments

Arraignments at the Supreme Court originally set for March occurred on May 8 in New Providence. They will take place in Grand Bahama on May 25.

In-custody defendants will enter pleas by video-link. Defendants on bail will appear in court but officials will limit the number of people allowed in court.

The presentation of Voluntary Bill of Indictments is on hold in the Magistrates’ Court, so it’s not known when Supreme Court arraignments will continue.

Trials

New jury trials won’t begin until after the national curfew is lifted. New trials on the civil side of the Supreme Court are suspended until May 25.

Civil judges will decide whether part-heard trials will proceed during the state of emergency or after it’s lifted.


Magistrates Courts

Arraignments are held in New Providence from 10:30am to 2:30pm. In Grand Bahama arraignments begin at 10:30am and end at 2pm and in Abaco they begin at 10:30am and ended at 1pm. No more than 10 persons are allowed in court at a time.

New and part-heard criminal and civil trials are suspended until the end of the state of emergency. This includes child support hearings.

However, the courts continue to accept child support payments.

Traffic Courts

If you don’t dispute your ticket, you can pay your fine at the cashier’s window. Police, however, will limit the number of people in the building.

New traffic trials will resume after the state of emergency is lifted.

 

 

 

Six arrested for party during curfew

David Stewart
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Six arrested for party during curfew

Nassau-Police arrested six people for allegedly failing to follow social distancing guidelines by hosting a birthday party last week.

Officers broke up the gathering at Peter Street around 7 p.m. on May 14.

Prosecutors claim that more than 40 people were at the home but most of them fled when the officers arrived.

They charged Tyrone Fernander, Deron Ferguson, Quincy Marshall, Darryl Clarke, Sandy Smith and Savannah Smith with breaking the national curfew by failing to remain at home.

They were also charged with breaching social distancing guidelines by hosting a gathering of more than 10 people.

The accused denied the allegations at arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

He set the case for trial on September 1.

Meanwhile, police announced that 13 people accused of breaking the curfew in Eleuthera will be arraigned in court this week.

If convicted, they face fines up to $10,000 and maximum prison sentences of 18 months.

 

Wife beater ordered to pay spouse $5,000

Lisa Brown
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Wife beater ordered to pay spouse $5,000

Nassau-An argument between a divorcing couple turned violent when a man repeatedly punched his wife in the face on Sunday.

AF pleaded guilty to a charge of causing harm at his arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on May 18.

The altercation happened at the couple’s home in the Carmichael Road area around 9 a.m.

A weekend lockdown designed to slow the community spread of the coronavirus kept them at home, unless there was an emergency.

The court heard that AF punched his wife GF in the eyes and mouth during the heated row. What’s more, he attacked her again as she got her keys to leave.

The wife received medical treatment and doctors described her injuries as serious, the court heard.

Defense lawyer Tony Scriven said that AF was sorry for his actions.

Scriven said that AF had returned to the marital home in New Providence because he had lost his job as a construction worker in Abaco following Hurricane Dorian.

Scriven said that AF would leave the home until the divorce is finalized.

In passing sentence, Mckinney said,”Domestic violence is a serious matter that ought not be taken lightly.”

He ordered AF to pay $5,000 in compensation to his wife to avoid spending 18 months prison. Additionally, he placed AF on probation for three years. He could be jailed for a year if he breaches the probation.

Spike in domestic violence

Domestic violence cases have increased as more people are confined at home.

Crisis Centre Director Sandra Dean-Patterson said the lockdowns, curfews and job loss were responsible for the spike.

Although the Crisis Centre is closed, counsellors can be reached by text at 328-0922 or WhatsApp at 565-9633.

 

 

Murder suspect in custody

Lisa Brown
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Murder suspect in custody

Nassau-Police on May 16 announced the arrest of a suspect in the May 12 murder of Richard Bain Jr.

Police had issued a wanted bulletin for 22-year-old Perez Cuffe on May 15.

Police did not say where they found Cuffe or if he turned himself in.

A lone gunman shot Bain as he sat outside his grandmother’s house off Cowpen Road.

The shooting left a second man in critical condition in hospital.

Attempted murder convict loses appeal

Lisa Brown
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Attempted murder convict loses appeal
Businessman Anthawn Simms was murder before trial began

Nassau-The Court of Appeal on May 15 refused to disturb the attempted murder, armed robbery and burglary convictions of Omar Miller.

Miller is serving 25 years in prison for the attempted murder of businessman Anthawn Simms during an armed robbery and home-invasion in 2016.

However, Simms was murdered on January 7, 2018 before he could testify in Miller’s trial in July.

Notwithstanding this, the jury heard from Simms from beyond the grave. The judge allowed Simms’ statement into evidence.

At the appeal, defence lawyer Murrio Ducille argued that the judge was wrong to allow the statement.


Additionally, he submitted that Miller did not have a case to answer and the jury’s verdict was unreasonable.

Justices of Appeal Jon Isaacs, Stella Crane-Scott and Milton Evans said, “We harbour no lurking doubt about the correctness of the jury’s verdicts or that any injustice has been done.”

Strong case

The three-judge panel said the prosecution had produced a strong circumstantial case against Miller.

The jury found that Miller was among three men who forced Simms into his home at Ludford Avenue in Freeport, Grand Bahama on March 23, 2016.

The men dressed in camouflage robbed Simms and his girlfriend Dhiamia Newton of cash, a Rolex watch, a Michael Kors watch, a pair of Cartier earrings, and a brown MCM backpack.

The men bound Simms’ hands with a white tie strap. However, Simms freed himself and fought the robbers. They shot Simms and fled in his black Chevrolet Colorado truck.


Police pursued the stolen truck. Miller stopped the vehicle in the area of Churchill and Midshipman Road. Miller wore camouflage clothing and exited the truck carrying a firearm and brown bag. The officers shot at Miller after he allegedly pointed a gun at them. Miller ran into bushes. The officers arrested Miller and an ambulance took him to hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his hand.

During a search of the bushes, police recovered the MCM bag, which contained $6,964, a pistol, a ski mask and a white tie strap. The strap was similar to the one left at Simms’ home. A firearms expert said the recovered pistol shot Simms.

 

Court rules it’s too late to try ex-cop for armed robberies

Lisa Brown
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Court rules it’s too late to try ex-cop for armed robberies

Nassau- Former fugitive policeman Salathiel Thompson Jr. won’t be tried for armed robberies he allegedly committed in 1989.

Justice Gregory Hilton ruled that prosecutors had failed to try Thompson within a reasonable, making a fair trial impossible.

Thompson is the son of former Commissioner of Police Salathiel Thompson Sr.

He served 28 years in prison for bank robberies in Florida before his return to The Bahamas on January 9, 2018.

Upon his return, police took him to the Central Detective Unit and charged him with four armed robberies.

Constitutional challenge

Prosecutors intended to try Thompson this year. But his lawyer Alton McKenzie filed a constitutional motion, alleging he could not get a fair trial due to the delay.

Prosecutors alleged that Thompson robbed Carey’s Food Store of $750 on May 12, 1989.


Then, on July 14, 1989, prosecutors alleged that Thompson robbed five people at the Coral Harbour Club.

Thompson allegedly robbed Keith Lightbourne of $6,474.50 of cash, along with $300,000 worth of cheques belonging to Commonwealth Brewery Limited On August 4.

On August 17, 1989, William Estime of a 1985 1.6 SR Toyota Corolla worth $5,000. Estime died in 2010.

None of the robbery victims identified Thompson as the assailant. However, he allegedly confessed to the crimes when questioned by Bahamian police officer Rory Saunders.

At the time, Thompson was in the custody of FBI agents regarding the armed robberies of the Coral Gables Bank and the First Union Bank in Florida.

Attempts to face trial

Thompson lost his appeals in 1993. After losing his appeals, Thompson made numerous requests to serve his time here.

The U.S Department of Justice refused Thompson’s requests for transfer five times. However, the Justice Department also asked if Thompson had pending cases in The Bahamas.


In 2004, The Bahamas consulate replied that Thompson had no outstanding charges or warrants.

In his ruling, Hilton said since 1993 Thompson wanted to deal with his pending cases in The Bahamas.

Hilton said it was not known whether U.S. officials would have granted the transfer, if aware of the pending cases.

The judge said prosecuting authorities knew Thompson’s location at all times.

Despite this, they made no attempts to arraign via video-link or get his consent to conduct the trial in his absence, Hilton ruled.

Hilton said that the time to commence the trial began when police questioned Thompson in 1990. Prosecutors had argued that the clock started when police charged Thompson in 2018.

In justifying his calculation, Hilton said police did no more investigations in the case since 1990.

 

Prison guard remanded on drug charge

David Stewart
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Prison guard remanded on drug charge

Nassau-A prison inspector went from guard to inmate after he was remanded to prison on a drug charge.

Officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) arrested Inspector Kevan Seymour, 47, along with Jamaican Suzette Wright-Smith, 47, and her son Phillip Smith, 19 on Friday morning.

The arrest took place at the Smiths’ home off Firetrail Road following the seizure of 13 ounces of marijuana.

The drugs have a wholesale street value of $1,950.

They denied a charge of drug possession with intent to supply at an arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson Pratt Friday afternoon.

They were denied bail because the magistrate lacks the power to consider bail for the charge.

As a result, they have to seek bail in the Supreme Court.

The magistrate set trial for September 1.

 

Man charged with murder of teen in Fox Hill shooting

David Stewart
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0
Man charged with murder of teen in Fox Hill shooting

Nassau-Police have charged a man with murder in the fatal shooting of a teenager on May 5.

Nashon Rolle, 23, on May 15 appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with the murder of 17-year-old Jason Joseph.

Police said that a lone gunman shot the teen multiple times as he bought breakfast in Rahming Street, Fox Hill.

The killer ran towards Cox Street, where he got into a white car.

Joseph, a Doris Johnson High School dropout, died at the scene.

Rolle, of Gladstone Road, did not have to enter a plea to the murder allegation.

He has been denied bail. Rolle next returns to court on September 16.

Prosecutors intend to fast-track his trial to the Supreme Court with a voluntary bill of indictment.

Rolle did not have a lawyer. He told the magistrate that his brother, Franklin Rolle Jr., was murdered at Blueberry Hill in Fox Hill in September 2019.

Because of this, Rolle said that he feared for his safety at the prison.

 

Teen admits hacking Snapchat account, stealing nudes

Lisa Brown
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0
Teen admits hacking Snapchat account, stealing nudes

Nassau-Police arrested a teenager for hacking into a woman’s Snapchat account and threatening to send out the naked photos he found on it.

Detectives arrested 18-year-old Wayne Carey for misuse of a computer.

The victim realised her account was compromised when someone threatened to release her information.

Detectives determined the activity came from Carey’s home at Scott Street in Bain Town.

The detectives served a search warrant on Carey and found the woman’s personal information on his phone.

In court, Carey admitted to accessing the woman’s personal information but denied the extortion attempt.


The prosecution later withdrew the charge of attempted extortion.

In mitigation, defense lawyer Ian Cargill asked the court to warn Carey.

Cargill said that Carey was a music performance major at Central State University with no previous convictions or pending matters.

Since a conviction would affect Carey’s education, the magistrate gave him an absolute discharge. He spent two days in custody before the magistrate ordered his release.

However, the magistrate warned, “If you find yourself before the courts again, don’t expect for this to happen again.

“You need to focus on your studies and stay out of trouble.”

 

 

 

 

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