High Court Judge – Talk things out

High Court Judge, Jennifer Remy finds that there is a disturbing trend developing among young people of only settling their differences through violence.{{more}}

“I find it disturbing that young people arm themselves with weapons to settle disputes…. Nobody talks anymore, nobody reasons and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated,” Remy asserted.

Remy was at the time speaking to Taddious Lewis, who pleaded guilty to wounding Fitzroy Joseph over $20 on April 11, 2009, at Barrouallie.

Lewis was adamant that he was a changed man after the stabbing incident. He will, however, have to continue that change in a more controlled environment.

Lewis, 18, of Barrouallie, was sentenced to seven years in jail on Thursday, May 20, at a sentencing hearing at the High Court’s Criminal Assizes.

Mitigating on his own behalf, Lewis said that he became a born again christian after spending three weeks on remand for wounding Joseph. “If you please, give me a chance. When I came out of prison I baptised and changed my life,” Lewis said.

Lewis pleaded with Justice Remy to place him on a bond for his actions.

“I don’t want to end up this way. That is why I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour,” he added.

On the day of the incident, at about 5: 40pm, Joseph approached Lewis for the $20 that he owed him for a phone that he (Lewis) had purchased from him.

Lewis refused to give Joseph the money and went into a house nearby. Moments later, when Lewis returned from the house, Joseph again asked him for his money. Lewis then took a knife from his pocket and stabbed Joseph about the body. Both men fell to the ground where Lewis continued stabbing Joseph.

Joseph sustained stab wounds to his chest, back, and side. He was hospitalised for 21 days.(KW)