An ex-police officer who was involved in a 2023 hit and run and responsible for the death of an elderly woman, was recently sentenced to jail. It comes as the criminal assizes for the Nevis High Court were held on Friday Dec. 13th. Brent Edwards (the ex-police officer) was arrested and charged for the offence of ‘Failing to immediately stop at the Scene of an Accident’.
This is in connection with the July 15th, 2023 hit and run incident, where 80-year-old Florence ‘Ella’ Merchant of Zion Village, Nevis was found seriously injured on the side of the road by a passerby, as she was walking on the side of the road, in the area of New River. Subsequently, she succumbed to her injuries on July 17th, 2023. Here is His Lordship, Justice Patrick Thompson Junior, as he handed down the sentence:
He continued:
His Lordship, Justice Patrick Thompson Junior. This was broadcast live on VON Radio 860AM and vonradio.com. The prosecution side had representation from Crown Counsel Althea Campbell and Assistant DPP Teshorn Vasquez. Defense lawyers were Chesley Hamilton and Kamau Grant.
The VON NEWSLINE received a comment from both sides after the proceeding. First, DPP Vasquez who stated “that the judge had a pragmatic approach and took all factors into account on both sides” while Chesley Hamilton shared this comment:
Meantime, the hearing for another case, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) vs. Tabari Roberts and Jelani Duncan, started at 3pm on Friday Dec. 13th. Roberts and Duncan pleaded guilty for manslaughter, which is in connection with the homicides of teenagers Lamonte Heyliger and Jahquan Merritt on Jan. 11th, 2021. The sentencing was also slated for Friday. However, VON Radio will update the public on the sentencing in due course.
