A 50-year-old man, whose murder and attempted murder convictions were overturned on appeal, in May, has been convicted, again, after a retrial.
The Court of Appeal had upheld Aubrey Wilson’s appeal against his conviction and sentence because of errors the judge made during the trial.
In 2013, Wilson, of Greiggs, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Daniel, 31, of Greiggs.
He was further sentenced to 15 years for the attempted murder of Daniel’s friend Vasilsa Maloney, also of Greiggs.
However, in May 2019, the Crown conceded the appeal, having acknowledged that then-Justice James had made grave errors in his submissions to the jury.
Counsel Duane Daniel represented Wilson at the appeal hearing.
Wilson was arraigned again in June 2019 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
However, a jury convicted him of both charges, namely, that on Aug. 14, 2011, at Greiggs, he murdered Ms Daniel and attempted to murder Maloney.
The facts of the case, as outlined at the sentencing hearing on Friday, are that in August 2011, Daniel ended her years-long relationship with Wilson because of irreconcilable differences and moved out of the home they shared.
On Aug. 14, 2011, she went to visit with some neighbours at the home of Shirley Wilson, in Greiggs.
Ms Daniel was sitting on the porch of the home and Ms Wilson was sitting nearby in the porch.
Sometime during the visit, Maloney also came to visit and stayed outside the porch.
While the three women were there speaking to each other, Mr. Wilson came into the porch and said: “Wey alyo’ ah call up me name fa?”
The women told him that they had not mentioned his name, and Ms Daniel told the group that she was leaving.
However, Wilson prevented her from doing so and scuffled her up, put her against the wall, pulled out a penknife and stabbed her in the neck.
Daniel fell to the ground and bled to death at the scene.
Mr. Wilson then turned to Maloney who had gone into the porch to assist Ms Daniel.
“You too,” Mr. Wilson told Maloney then raised the knife to stab Maloney, who was able to neutralise the attack, but received a wound to her face, causing her to receive five stitches.
At Friday’s sentencing hearing, High Court judge Justice Brian Cottle sentenced Wilson to 25 years in jail for Ms Daniel’s murder and 13 years for attempting to murder Maloney.
The judge ordered that the sentences run consecutively, noting that although the crimes occurred soon after each other, there were two separate victims.
The court ordered that the eight years that Mr. Wilson spent on remand be deducted from the sentences.
Wilson was represented during the retrial by counsel Jomo Thomas, while Karim Nelson and Rose-Ann Richardson appeared for the Crown.
MERCILESS AND COLD-BLOODED
There shall always be the ‘…manifestation of a fair trial.’
No getting away from this principle.
In spite of the ruling of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), it does not appear that the accused was placed in serious jeopardy.
Judge’s ‘…misdirection in Summation’ or not, the conclusion of the Jury was foregone.
The evidence appeared overwhelming.
From the accounts reported at this news portal, the ‘…murder-convict’ not only showed ‘…preparation to commit the crime (armed with the knife),’ but also clear intent in snuffing out the life of an innocent woman with a ‘…fatal stab to the neck.’
Then he appeared ‘…clearly wanted to see more blood flow or a double funeral.’
With vicious intent, he attacked another victim.
The acts were as brutal, as it was ‘…senseless and fatal.’
Did not have to attend college to know that the charges;
(i) …Murder; and
(ii) … Attempted Murder’ are separate and distinct criminal offences.
Two victims – ‘…one dead and one wounded.’
Clearly a ‘…bitter and angry man.’
Moreover, he was ‘…Merciless and Cold-Blooded.’
If the ‘…noose’ was still applicable, sure the Scripture may have been fulfilled [Genesis 9: 6].
I agree with this sentence. So many of these kind of incidents in such a small country. What is happening? They do not seem to be linked to economics as many other crimes are. I think we also have a problem that we do not respect eachother. We do not respect women, we do not respect the property and belongings of others. We do not respect the rights of others, and so on…How can we change this? Is this lack of respect a sign of arrogance? Does greed sometimes come into play? I suppose there are possibly some big societal problems in our society stemming from deep cultural or psychological imbalances. Wow, I am beginning to sound like Sigmund Freud! James H., you are an educated person; what do you think? Is there any way to save us from ourselves?