NASSAU-A man was killed in a drive-by shooting Monday night, police said.
The fatal shooting happened at Montgomery Avenue, off Carmichael Road around 7pm.
The victim was standing in the street when he was gunned down by the occupants of a black Toyota Passo.
Jacquelin Francois, 36, is the fourth murder victim of the year.
Copyright Bahamas Courts News 2020. All rights reserved.
Police investigate latest murder
Tourist admits flashing hotel maid and walks free
NASSAU- An American tourist who admitted to masturbating in front of woman hotel work received no punishment for his actions.
Matthew Brown, 32, flashed the woman and began playing with himself in his room at the Grand Hyatt on January 5.
The housekeeper reported the matter to police and Brown was arrested and charged.
Brown, who was vacationing with his girlfriend, received an absolute discharge.
He was also ordered to apologize to his victim in writing.
In asking for leniency, Brown’s lawyer Lisa Bostwick-Dean said that a conviction of any sort would jeopardize his job in the financial sector.
Copyright Bahamas Court News. All rights reserved.
Man’s body found in bushes
EXUMA-Police are investigating after a man’s body was found in “a bushy area” in Bahama Sound Number 3 around 1pm Friday, November 10.
Police have described the death as “suspicious” and say they are waiting on an autopsy.
Now, the body was found in the same area that missing man Kirkwood Johnson lived.
The 54-year-old has been missing since November 22, 2019.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Retrial: Courts give digital recording second chance
NASSAU-The judiciary plans to expand the use of digital recording systems although past glitches have led to lost testimony in the lower courts.
In her annual report, Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt said, “Last year a digital system was put in place, but, sadly, I have observed that it is not fully functional in terms of transcriptions, and in some courts the recording facility of the machine is compromised.”
Stenographers were removed from the Magistrates’ Courts in 2014, forcing magistrates to record testimony by hand.
The recording system was intended to take the record in place of the stenographers.
However, because of of malfunctions, human reporters are still provided in high-profile Magistrates’ Court cases.
Although Chief Justice Brian Moree admitted that the digital system “did not achieve its objectives”, he intends to expand the system to all courts.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the opening of the legal year, Moree said, “Digital recording systems will be installed in all courts in New Providence and Freeport.
“Transcription will be carried out as a back office service by voice writers after cross training.”
This move, Moree said, would speed up appeals since fewer transcripts would be required, once the recordings become the official record.
It’s unclear how this will plan affect the the 31 reporters in the court reporting unit.
Copyright © Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Boy, 15, charged in stabbing that sent two students to hospital
NASSAU-A 15-year-old appeared in court charged with grievous harm after two other teens were stabbed in a fight at C V Bethel Senior High School.
The accused, who cannot be named because of his age, denied the charge during his arraignment in the Juvenile Court on Thursday, January 9.
Prosecutors say teen stabbed his schoolmates, ages 14 and 16, in the head with a pocket knife on January 7.
He was denied bail and remanded to the Simpson Penn School For Boys.
He returns to court on February 19.
Copyright © Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Plan to make child support payments easier
NASSAU-It will soon be easier to make and receive child support payments.
Chief Justice Brian Moree QC said the payment and collection process will be as simple as topping up a prepaid phone.
The proposal, which should take effect by April, eliminates the need to stand on long lines at the Magistrates’ Court Complex.
It won’t be necessary to enter the building at all, since payment machines will be installed in businesses and other public buildings.
This was just one of the changes that the Chief Justice announced at the opening of the legal year.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Tourist robber jailed for two years
NASSAU-Wearing an ankle bracelet didn’t stop a man from robbing a tourist on New Year’s Day.
But it was the GPS tracker on his victim’s stolen iPhone 10 Plus that quickly led police to Alando Williams.
Then police used the data from the bracelet—issued as a condition of bail for a stealing case— to tie him to the scene.
What was he thinking? During a police interview, the busted crook blamed using Molly, otherwise known as ecstasy, for his lack of judgment.
He pushed his Australian victim to the ground as she walked the Cable Beach strip and took her purse.
Police recovered the stolen phone and an Australian $20 note. The 23-year-old had already ditched his victim’s bag and IDs by the time he was caught.
Williams pleaded guilty to the tourist robbery at his arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.
He was jailed for two years.
Meanwhile, the stealing case is still pending.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Second man killed in shooting
NASSAU-Police are on the scene of the country’s third murder of 2020.
A man was shot dead at Prison Lane around 9pm Sunday, hours after another man was fatally shot at John Road.
One dead after shooting
NASSAU-A man was killed in a shooting Sunday.
He was shot at John Road and drove off when he lost consciousness and his Nissan Cube crashed.
The incident happened shortly before 7pm.
Man jailed for rum cake thefts
NASSAU-A thief literally took the cake.
Demetrius Delancy was jailed for two years after he admitted stealing 12 cakes during a December 20 break-in at the Rum Cake Factory on East Bay Street.
Delancy, 33, of Spence Street, Mason’s Addition, was caught on camera taking the cakes that sell for $5.62 each.
Delancy pleaded guilty to shopbreaking, stealing and damaging the storefront window to gain entry.
Delancy, who has multiple convictions for similar crimes, claimed he planned to eat the sweet treats instead of selling them.
He said it was difficult getting work due to his criminal record.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes advised Delancy to learn a trade while in prison so that he could become a productive member of society on release.
Delancy, 33, of Spence Street, Mason’s Addition, was caught on camera taking the cakes that sell for $5.62 each.
Delancy pleaded guilty to shopbreaking, stealing and damaging the storefront window to gain entry.
Delancy, who has multiple convictions for similar crimes, claimed he planned to eat the sweet treats instead of selling them.
He said it was difficult getting work due to his criminal record.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes advised Delancy to learn a trade while in prison so that he could become a productive member of society on release.
The Bahamas Department of Corrections offers barbering, welding, and sewing courses to sentenced inmates.
Copyright © Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Bahamas Court News 2020. All rights reserved.
