UPDATE: Jessroy McKelly sentenced to Life Imprisonment
McKelly will only be eligible for parole after 40 years. A High Court jury had on April 1, 2014 found McKelly guilty of murder.
This news site will bring you more details from the sentencing today in a subsequent post.
See previous story posted April 2, 2014:
UPDATE: Eyewitness evidence unreliable – Justice Byer
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Even as a panel of jurors embarked on convicting accused murderer Jessroy McKelly, 25, before the High Court yesterday, April 1, 2014 Justice Nicola Byer cautioned the nine-member group about the use of eyewitness evidence used in the trial in arriving at their decision.
Following a two-week trial, McKelly was convicted of murdering Kareem ‘Bingy’ Sebastian who died in May 2009, several months after being shot multiple times by his assailant in the Crab Lot area of Road Town commonly referred to as the Ghetto.
McKelly’s sentence is expected to take place before Justice Byer on May 16, 2014 following a social enquiry report.
“Eyewitness evidence is inherently unreliable,” Justice Byer directed the jury yesterday.
She explained that, in the experience of the court, this type of evidence had been given in the past where persons have been convicted of crimes and it emerged later on that the perpetrator identified was actually someone else.
Justice Byer also pointed to the issue of human error despite what may be seen as convincing testimony that is provided by certain witnesses in a trial.
The comments were made in the context of the Crown’s star witness in the trial, Akeem Sebastian, the brother of the deceased. The witness testified to being the only person to have viewed a section of McKelly’s face when the incident occurred. He also claimed he was able to identify the defendant as the two had known each other for a very long time.
Meanwhile, commenting on the verdict in a press release issued today, Head of the Crime Division Detective Superintendent Alexis Charles remarked that McKelly’s conviction is evidence that the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) continues to pursue perpetrators in all the unsolved murders.
“We do continue to investigate all open murder cases, and, when we can, we will bring perpetrators to justice and see these cases to a successful end. We will not close any investigation that is not solved and will relentlessly pursue those who commit these offences,” he added.
In acknowledging families in this community who still await justice for lost loved ones taken in violence, Commissioner of Police David Morris assured that the pursuit continues in bringing about justice.
“The files on these unsolved murders remain open and we will do everything to bring closure in these cases. That is why we continue to build on the skills of our detectives and crime investigators. Working closely with the Director of Public Prosecutions, we hope to bring many more offenders to justice,” he said.
See previous story posted April 1, 2014:
Jessroy McKelly guilty of murder
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – A High Court jury today April 1, 2014 found Jessroy Mckelly guilty of murder.
The Jury today returned the guilty verdict 8-1. A social inquiry report was requested by the defence lawyer before sentencing.
The jury had been sent back earlier following a 7-2 verdict. The jury comprised eight women and one man.
McKelly was on trial for the murder of Kareem Sebastian who was shot resulting in his subsequent death some time after.
More details to follow.
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27 Responses to “UPDATE: Jessroy McKelly sentenced to Life Imprisonment”
stop assuming..........and one persons statement that was unreliable so call witness proves nothing....