‘Jesus is my lawyer’- Man charged for fighting in public tells magistrate
Antonio Stevens, a Belonger who is originally from the Dominican Republic, told Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards that his lawyer is ‘Jesus’ as he spoke, for the most part, with the assistance of an interpreter. He was asked if he had a lawyer and if he had any intentions of getting one when he made the response.
As the magistrate tried to ascertain if the man understood what is meant when a person says he is guilty, Stevens, in a jovial tone for the most part, blurted out “He assaulted me verbally and physically and he is not here and he was the aggressor.”
The allegations
It is alleged that at approximately 8:20 A.M. on April 18, 2016 the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) received information of an incident that was taking place on Flemming Street. Arriving on the scene, a police sergeant Rhymer noticed Stevens and another man named Jose close to each other. Stevens had blood on his left hand. The police officer, who is fluent in Spanish, intervened and both men accused each other as being the aggressor.
The court heard that Stevens told the police, “I was walking on the road when he (Jose) came towards me, push me and cut me in my hand with a bottle.” And Jose alleged said, “I was walking coming from RiteWay when he (Stevens) came to me and push me in the shoulder. I asked him what problem and he started shouting and pick up a rock and bottle and hammer and throw at me and I call police.”
While Stevens sustained a cut to one of his hands, Jose complained of having back pains and were both taken to Peebles hospital. The police were able to secure CCT footage of the incident.
After getting a clear understanding of what the magistrate was explaining to him and having listened to the allegations against him, Stevens told the magistrate that he was guilty and that he knows it is wrong to be fighting in public. “We fight because of work. I confess but I repent. I am sorry I wouldn’t do it again, please pardon me,” he pleaded with the magistrate.
Magistrate Richards fined him $700 or spend 2 months in prison. The money is to be paid by September 30, 2016.
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