Friday, June 28th 2024, will be the date that Patrick Howell Junior will know his fate, this is according to Justice Patrick Thompson Jr.
A Sentence hearing was held at the High Court in Charlestown on Monday, April 8th, 2024.
Howell is convicted on two (2) counts of Larceny, murder and robbery.
On the afternoon of Friday, July 16th 2021, Travis Clarke of New Castle was approached by Mr. Howell on Happy Hill Drive in Charlestown in the vicinity of the Level Up Bar. Clarke proceeded to run but was shot once in the head and numerous times about his body and was pronounced dead on the scene.
Mr. Howell who was not wearing a mask, then, accosted a female driver and stole her maroon jeep that was in close proximity and drove from Charlestown to Irvin Allen’s residence in Church Ground and stole a tablet and a cellphone.
The next day, July 17th, Howell turned himself into the Gingerland Police Station and confessed to what he did. The jeep was later retrieved along with the tablet and cellphone.
During Monday’s proceeding, Howell (the defendant) was represented by Lawyer Maurisha Robinson of Morton & Robinson and the Prosecution side was led by Mr. Tesean Vasquez and Ms. Megan Nisbett.
Justice Thompson Jr. heard from witnesses, Ms. A. Tyson of Social Services and Dr. Glenn Griffin who is an Independent Clinical psychologist who both produced a Psychiatric report on Howell as part of his sentencing exercise.
Dr. Griffin said that based on his professional evaluation of the defendant, he said that the choices that were made by Howell are in part of a psychological disorder. He said Anti-Social Personality Disorder could be developed from a syndrome that can come from genetics or something that was inherited. He also stated that the defendant has admitted and acknowledged what he has done and it can be looked at as a sense of remorse or regret. He said that the disorder was difficult to treat and based on the defendant’s behaviour, there’s a mild chance for improvement.
“I apologize to the victim’s family, I took the life of a loved one, sorry for my actions and how I took someone’s vehicle and what I put her through and the people in Church Ground and the society on a whole,” Howell said as he stood up in court and apologized.
He continued: “It wasn’t a pretty sight of being in a gang and having gang conflict. Sorry to my family, my father and not setting a good example to my siblings. I am not trying to make any excuses. I know the difference between right from wrong but I know that justice has to be done. The process has to go through its course”.
