Bahamas Court News

NASSAU- A man has lost a bid for a reduced sentence for murdering his father by stabbing him 47 times in 2017.

Leon Sweeting’s lawyer claimed the 45-year sentence, for the callous murder of 76-year-old Leon Sweeting, was too harsh.

At his sentencing in 2019, Sweeting received credit for the one year, eight months and two weeks he had spent on remand awaiting trial.

Todd’s lawyer, Marianne Cadet, argued that the trial judge should have ordered a psychiatric report to assist with sentencing.

She also argued that his sentence was disproportionate to the severity of his crime.

However, Justice of Appeal Jon Isaacs found no merit in these grounds.

Justice Isaacs said the tribunal found no fault with the judge’s sentence.

Justice Isaacs said, “A person who is capable of the cunning execution of a family member with whom he held no grudge and for whom he ought to have some affinity would, in all likelihood, pose a danger to other members of the community with whom he did not share any degree of affinity or co-sanguinity.”

NASSAU- A man who stole groceries worth $5 has to pay $150 to avoid going to prison.

Oscar Logan, 50, swiped two bottles of Downy, valued at $5.38, from Abba Supermarket.

He was fined $50 or seven days’ imprisonment for the theft.

Logan also has to pay $100 as a penalty for missing his initial court appearance.

NASSAU- Convicted child abductor De’Edra Gibson has been placed on probation after she admitted to threatening to kill a prison guard while on remand.

Druneka Oliver made a complaint to police over the April 3, 2020 incident at the prison.

Gibson pleaded guilty to the charge when she appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney yesterday.

He placed her on probation for 18 months, and warned her that a breach of its terms would result in a six-month prison sentence.

Gibson was placed on three years’ probation in July as a part of a plea deal. She admitted to abducting four young boys and attempting to snatch a fifth boy.

Gibson, who has a history of mental illness, will be sentenced to prison for two years if she commits an offense during the period of probation.

She is also required to attend outpatient services at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre on a regular basis with the expectation that the court receives quarterly updates on her progress.

As part of her supervised release, Gibson has to report to the court twice a year. Her first report date is January 20, 2022.

NASSAU- A man has been jailed for 18 months after cops found a kilo of cocaine stuffed in his pants following a high-speed chase.

Officers saw the rental Nissan Note on September 14, as they were driving through the True Blue Settlement in Crooked Island, and suspecting it was being used in criminal activity, ordered the driver to stop.

The driver sped off, leading police on a pursuit, before the car stopped.

As they were searching Gregory McPhee, they found a a brick of cocaine in a fanny pack that was stuffed in his pants.

McPhee, 41, told police during an interview that he’d found the cocaine on a beach in Acklins.

According to him, he didn’t trust police there, so he brought the drugs to Crooked Island to give to police there.

McPhee did not question the officers who arrested him; he also declined to take the stand in his defense.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney found McPhee’s post-arrest claim unlikely given the circumstances of his arrest.

He convicted McPhee of drug possession with intent to supply and jailed him for 18 months, plus a $10,000 fine.

He’ll serve an additional six months if he doesn’t pay the fine.

NASSAU- A woman who was seen being choked by a policeman in a viral video has been charged.

Treasure Terrelli, 19, and her boyfriend Charlton Deal, 24, say they were victims of police brutality.

However, prosecutors say that they attacked the officers, who used force to subdue them outside a Delancy Street club on October 23.

Deal is accused of causing harm to two police officers while assaulting them. He’s also accused of causing $136 in damage to one of the officer’s watch and $100 in damage to the other officer’s shirt as well as resisting arrest.

For her part, Terrelli is accused of assaulting a police officer and obstruction.

They pleaded not guilty.

Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans set bail at $5,000 for Deal and $1,500 for Terrelli.

They return to court for trial on February 29.

NASSAU- A man faces multiple counts of arson after he allegedly set three fires at his aunt’s home.

Andrew Lehenza Bain, 28, is accused of setting a fire to Judy Wallace’s home at Jumbay Street, Pinewood Gardens on July 30.

The fire to the porch caused $1,500 in damage.

On September 7, Bain allegedly started a fire that caused $2,500 in damage to the home’s wash room.

Later that month, on September 24, Bain allegedly set ablaze an efficiency on the home, resulting in $1,000 in damage.

Bain did not have to enter pleas to charges of arson of a dwelling home at his arraignment before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain.

He was denied bail. Bain’s next court date is December 16.

NASSAU- A man has been charged with the murder of 10-year-old Kenron Dean.

Leon Evans, 23, of West Street, is charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder in connection with the March 11 shooting at Finlayson Street.

Kenron’s uncle, Marvin Ferguson, his twin brother and eight-year-old cousin were also injured in the shooting.

Evans didn’t have to enter pleas to the charges when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt today.

He was remanded to prison and returns to court on January 29, 2022.

However, his attorney says Evans can prove he wasn’t the shooter. Krysta Mason-Smith claims that police had given police his alibi.