The Tribune

EVEN as they continue to call for the death penalty for Kofhe Goodman, Bahamians remain sceptical that such a sentence would ever be fulfilled.

The court is currently considering Goodman’s fate following his conviction for the murder of 11-year-old Marco Archer.

Reacting to the verdict on tribune242.com, readers expressed frustration with the London-based Privy Council, this country’s final court of appeal, which has overturned many Bahamian capital punishment sentences in recent years.

TheObjectiveVoice, wrote: “No sitting up on death row until you die of old age or a heart attack. This one got to go”.

Another reader, digimagination, said it is only worth seeking the death penalty “if they seriously intend to carry out same – would save paying for his accommodation and food at HMFHP for the next several years.”

But, SuperUser added: “Regarding the death penalty, the Brits will never allow that. It is time we released ourselves from the British Privy Council, they cannot handle their own country yet they try to dictate to us.”

When Goodman was found guilty last week Friday by unanimous decision, the Crown announced that it will seek the death penalty.

After the verdict, Goodman, 37, asked the court: “That’s all?”

He then threatened Marco’s family during an expletive-ridden tirade and nearly hopped over the prison dock trying to attack a lawyer, before spitting at the jury as he left the court room.

Police rushed to restrain Goodman when he launched himself into the air following the reading of the jury’s decision.

Gasps and screams could be heard inside the courtroom and prosecutors hastily rose from behind their desks and prepared to seek protection.

Although officers ran to restrain Goodman, they were not able to prevent him from spitting in the face of a woman as he was being escorted outside the court.

The woman retaliated by attacking Goodman.

Police officers had to restrain her as they escorted Goodman outside the court where he continued to wrestle with the officers.

Inside it was still tense as Justice Bernard Turner insisted that jury members remain in their positions while jurors consoled the visibly upset woman in whose face Goodman had spat.

Jurors had listened to testimonies from 18 witnesses during the nearly five month long trial and spent much of Friday listening to Justice Bernard Turner’s summary of the court proceedings before retiring to the jury room to consider their verdict.

In the end, it took them less than two hours to reach a decision.

The verdict was a relief that the family of Marco Archer struggled to put into words. His mother, Tryphemia Meadows, fought back tears as she hailed divine intervention for the verdict in a trial she said was full of setbacks.

“He’s guilty. He’s guilty and he deserved it,” she said, adding: “Definitely a relief. We’ve been coming to court for four months, it’s definitely a relief. But we had no doubt they would’ve found him guilty ’cuz he is.

“This is the first step into the family healing. This doesn’t bring back Marco at all but this is the way for the family to find a way to heal and live with the fact that he is gone. It gives some relief to know that he wasn’t taken from us and the person who did it didn’t pay the price. It’s obvious now that Marco was a sacrifice. He was a sacrifice to get that man off of the streets so that he don’t do it to anybody else.”

She said: “Who have been watching this case, following this case and see what happen today could see that man is definitely a beast and he does not deserve to be on the street to touch any other innocent child. We thank God for strength and endurance. We thank God for the judge; he has patience like Job, God has to be in him. We thank God for the prosecution team and the jurors. We had doubts but God was on this from the beginning to the end,” she said, adding: “The lies and everything that happen throughout this trial from the defence lawyer, nothing worked. I mean I never saw so much mess in a courtroom for how that man carry on just to get this criminal back on the street but God is in control.”

Responding to the prosecution’s notice that they will be seeking the death penalty, she said: “I am happy. I am happy. We are happy with that. Marco was 11, he was taken from us. A lot of children was damaged through this man.”