The three police officers convicted of the shooting death of 16 year old Vanessa Kirkland have each been sentenced to 14 and a half years in prison. They were sentenced Monday afternoon by Supreme Court judge Justice Carol Lawrence Beswick before the Home Circuit Court. Before the sentencing, the prosecution opposed the bail application by the defence. Lead prosecutor Kathy Pyke described the application as inappropriate, improper and premature. However, Justice Lawrence Beswick told the defence she did not have the jurisdiction to offer bail pending appeal. Constables Andre Wain Smith, Durvin Hayles and Anna Kay Bailey were convicted of manslaughter on February 8. The attorneys had argued that the manslaughter verdict suggested that the jurors accepted that the cops were acting in self defence, but used excessive force, which led to Vanessa’s death. In their submissions, they argued that the judge, in passing sentence, should consider the evidence which showed that a gun and stolen items were found in the car in which Vanessa was a passenger. Vanessa, who was a student of the Immaculate Conception High School, was shot dead in March 2012 after the police opened fire on the vehicle on Norman Lane, St Andrew. Five other passengers were also shot. The cops testified that they were acting in self defence after gunmen alighted the vehicle and opened fire at them.
25 years stop give out? What is happening in our justice system?