Irene F. Penn-O'Neal & others found not guilty
Principal Magistrate Tamia N. Richards found them not guilty of all charges against them.
Following a lengthy summary of the prosecution’s case, it was time for Magistrate Richards to give her verdict. Starting with Irene F. Penn-O’Neal, she announced not guilty on the counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon.
Then on the same charges, the Magistrate read out not guilty verdicts as it related to Zubida O’Neal and Shameek Grant.
With regards to all three persons, the Magistrate said she did not believe that any of them had any knowledge of the items being in the house. She said with regards to Irene F. Penn-O’Neal, she had a chance to be a firearm holder as a member of the House of Assembly and she had refused.
The Magistrate also took into consideration the deportment of the three during their testimony and cross examination which led her to be more convinced that they were speaking the truth. She also based her decision on the repeated admission of ownership of the unlawful items by son Cordell O’Neal, who has been sent to Balsam Ghut for his part played in the entire saga.
“All of the defendants are discharged and are free to go,” said Magistrate Richards.
On the outside of the court house, Mrs Penn-O’Neal was seen weeping in relief and vindication following not guilty verdicts for herself and her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend.
Lawyer for Zubida O’Neal, Leroy Jones said he was scheduled to be out of the territory today but like Dolly Parton he decided to stand by his client, to the welcome result of a not guilty verdict.
She had no knowledge
On May 20, 2015, police officer, Keishon Leslie had testified that Mrs Irene F. Penn-O’Neal from the onset maintained that she had no knowledge of guns and ammunition found in her home in the early morning hours of October 24, 2014.
The respected former legislator, her children Zubida and Cordell O’Neal and Shameek Grant were in the O’Neal’s home when a raid was conducted at the Pockwood Pond home by officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), who had said they were at the time on an operation based on intelligence gathered.
Cordell O’Neal from the onset had claimed ownership of the illegal items and has since been sentenced to 7 years 10 months in prison. However, the remaining three who pleaded not guilty to charges are having their trial in the Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards.
During his testimony on May 20, 2015 Police Officer Leslie took the court through his recollection of what he did, saw and heard during the search of the O’Neal’s home. He recollected vividly Mrs O’Neal saying she had no knowledge of the two guns, ammunition and other related items allegedly found in the study and Zubida’s bedroom.
He also told the court that Cordell O’Neal had told him that it was he who had gone to the two rooms and put the items where they were found and that his mother had no knowledge of any of them.
“My mother aint going to jail. Officer I come up here foreday morning and put them there. Whatever you find I put them there,” the Officer recalled Mr O'Neal as saying and noted that O'Neal repeatedly claimed ownership when the search went to the study area of the home as he said, “Officer I done tell you already I come up foreday morning and put them there,” the officer had testified.
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24 Responses to “Irene F. Penn-O'Neal & others found not guilty”
..more to come
Who done prosocut dis case - all dem aquited - muss have been Ti*****!!