The Tribune

PRINCE Hepburn has been sentenced to 57 years in jail for hacking to death Nellie Mae Brown-Cox, the woman he intended to marry upon the conclusion of their respective divorces.

Justice Indra Charles, before passing sentence, said she was not of the view that Hepburn had expressed remorse for what occurred on April 6-7, 2011.

Today's sentencing lasted more than an hour as Justice Charles was presented with a probation report concerning Hepburn, testimony from a relative of Brown-Cox about the impact the incident had on her and the family, and a psychiatrist's evidence concerning his interview with Hepburn.

Murrio Ducille, who represents Hepburn, told the court that Hepburn had never run foul of the law and said that everyone that spoke of Hepburn, spoke of him in a positive way.

He said the Crown had not produced any evidence that Hepburn's responsibility was not diminished.

Justice Charles took into consideration all reports, the mitigation plea by Mr Ducille and a submission from deputy DPP Franklyn Williams that the crime was premeditated and a fit sentencing should be handed down accordingly.

Hepburn was convicted of the murder of Brown-Cox, the 42-year-old former president of the Bahamas Heart Association.

Hepburn and Brown-Cox were involved in an extramarital affair. They had both tried to divorce their spouses to be together.

Brown-Cox was found dead in the kitchen of an apartment on Bougainvillea Blvd, South Beach, with multiple stab wounds.

Hepburn, her partner at the time, was charged in connection with her death six days later when he was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court.

Hepburn denied the murder charge and through his attorney Murrio Ducille, maintained that he could not accept responsibility for murder because he was not in the right frame of mind as testified by Dr Michael Neville, a psychiatrist of more than 30 years experience.

It was explained that at the time he was suffering from “diminished responsibility.”