The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A LAWYER was unsuccessful in her bid on Tuesday to have a Grand Bahama man, accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death three months ago before jumping from the third floor of an apartment allegedly in an attempt to kill himself, not committed to prison because he is now confined to a wheelchair.

Miranda Adderley tried to convince Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis that Kenrick Hanna is not prison-worthy because he suffered a broken pelvis and other injuries after allegedly jumping from an apartment balcony after killing Monet Darville on September 24.

However, Ms Adderley later submitted that her client’s condition is even more “egregious” because, based on her instructions, members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) may have been responsible for his injuries.

She further submitted that based on the Disabilities Act, the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services is not equipped to properly facilitate Hanna, whom she said has a bone protruding on his spine, has suffered “long-term” injuries and is expected to be on bed rest for at least another month.

For that reason, said Ms Adderley, although the prison has beds, they are not suitable for her client. She referred to another of her clients, who, she says, because of his paralysis, is being kept in the Princess Margaret Hospital as opposed to the prison because of the lack of facilities to accommodate his condition.

Therefore, Ms Adderley said, the place to house Hanna on remand would be the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

However, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said he saw no provisions in law that would allow him to assist in that regard. He further said that the issue of the conditions and/or modification of said conditions at the prison is a matter for the government to deal with. And as to the issue of alleged police brutality, the senior magistrate said that is an issue for trial.

He consequently ordered Hanna to be remanded into custody.

Ms Adderley then stated that the wheelchair Hanna was using in court has to be returned to the Princess Margaret Hospital, presenting “another issue” for her client.

However, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said the difficulty in that issue is that the “system does not provide for wheelchairs”. Thus, he said, while the situation is “unfortunate”, the wheelchair may remain with Hanna until such time as he secures his own personal wheelchair. Until that time however, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said he does not know what provisions can be made for the accused in that regard.

Nonetheless, he advised Ms Adderley to take her issue up with the ministers of health, national security and social services, as the issue is one that “we will all at some point have to address”.

According to reports, on the date in question, police were called to an apartment at the King’s Bay Apartment Complex in South Bahamia, Grand Bahama, shortly after 9pm on September 24, where they found Monet Darville’s lifeless body with multiple stab wounds.

Assistant Superintendent Terecita Pinder reported that officers also found Hanna at that apartment complex attempting to jump from the third-floor balcony.

“Officers spoke to the male in an attempt to prevent him from harming himself, but to no avail. The man jumped from the third floor to the ground,” the senior officer said.

EMS personnel assisted Hanna at the scene, and then took him to hospital, where he was detained in critical condition. ASP Pinder said at the time police were handling the matter as a murder-attempted suicide investigation.

On Tuesday, Hanna was not required to enter a plea to the charges and the case was adjourned to March for service of a voluntary bill of indictment. Bail was denied and he was remanded to BDCS in the interim, or until such time as he is successful in securing bail from the Supreme Court.