Delano Taylor, left, and Vilnere Desir outside court yesterday.
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
TWO men may serve less than ten years in prison for attempted murder if their claim of serving 31 months on remand prior to trial is verified.
However, the jail terms for Vilnere Desir and Delano Taylor concerning the March 22, 2012, attempted murder of Jefferson Louis may be challenged as prosecutor Linda Evans told Justice Vera Watkins the punishment was lenient for such a serious offence.
Desir and Taylor pleaded not guilty at their trial before Justice Watkins last November.
Louis testified that he had been standing in front of Tom’s Bar around 10pm when three men opened fire on him moments after they had walked 20 to 30 feet past him. He added that he ran toward East Street but collapsed. He then recalled waking up in the hospital.
Louis admitted that he was afraid and running for his life when cross-examined by attorney Raymond Rolle. However, he maintained he was able to say that it was Taylor who shot him.
Justice Watkins yesterday told the pair she had reviewed the facts of the case and determined that ten years at the Department of Correctional Services was a sufficient punishment and made a copy of her written ruling available to defence and Crown counsel.
Their lawyers, Bernard Ferguson and Mr Rolle, brought to the court’s attention the time their clients had been on remand prior to trial.
The judge said this would be verified before any reduction is reflected in their incarceration warrant.
Ms Evans said if this reduction was to occur for an already lenient sentence “then the Crown would have to take a certain course”.
Justice Watkins questioned the prosecutor’s remark that if she knew what step she needed to take if she believed the sentence to be lenient.
Ms Evans replied that she made the statement so it could be reflected in the record.
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