Double murderer fails to get sentence cut

| 05/09/2019 | 19 Comments
Cayman News Service
Raziel Jeffers (file photo by Cayman 27)

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal refused the application of Raziel Jeffers (35) to appeal his 38-year sentence imposed after being convicted of two gang-related murders. In a written judgment released Monday, the court upheld the original tariff set for murdering Marcus Ebanks in July 2009 and Damion Ming in March 2010. In the first shooting, Jeffers was also convicted of the attempted murder of four other people, one of whom was 14-year-old Adryan Powell, who received eleven gunshot wounds and was left in a permanent paraplegic state.

The motive for both attacks was said to be gang hostility, with Jeffers a member of the Birch Tree Hill gang and his targets associated with Logwoods.

In the Ebanks murder, Jeffers mistook him for his intended victim, Jose Sanchez, who escaped uninjured. Jeffers was found guilty of the murder in 2012 in a judge-alone trial before the late Justice Charles Quin. He was then convicted in a 2014 trial by jury for killing Ming. He received a life sentence for both, but later in a Conditional Release judgment in 2018, Justice Quin set a tariff of 38 years, representing an additional four years for each murder above the 30-year starting point.

Attorney Amelia Fosuhene represented Jeffers in his appeal, arguing that his sentence contravened Section 8(1) of Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, which says that a heavier penalty cannot be imposed “than the one that was applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed”.

Fosuhene also contended that Jeffers had a legitimate expectation that he would be released from prison sooner than he now will be under the tariff. This is cited in Section 31A of the Prisons Law 1975, which says, “A convict… may, if of good behaviour, be granted remission of sentence of up to one third thereof, provided that sentence is more than one month.”

However, the Court of Appeal rejected both arguments, writing, “In the result it cannot arguably be said that the minimum term set by the judge was manifestly excessive. We refuse leave to appeal.”

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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (19)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    So sad when an innocent man is in jail and the families rejoice not knowing who responsible

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Why did he not receive 60 years, 30 for each murder? Basically in Cayman you can kill as many people as you want at one time and get 30 years. Sentences for murder should always run consecutively and not concurrently.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Keep him in their forever! If they d ok let him he will continue to kill!!

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Bad man don’t ask for reduction on sentence they take what they get and accept their fate, you should have taught about this before you pulled the trigger you punk , you will be out when you are 60 plus which is still not long enough

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Who pays for these appeals?

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Free Raz! B.Ave

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    • Anonymous says:

      Only 1 place that’s better for him and that’s rottening in the dirt . Real definition of scumbag !!!

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  7. Anonymous says:

    The guy is a SERIAL KILLER, mentally sick in his head.
    he is where he belongs if not 6 feet under.

    Simple as that.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Thank God! Now this garbage can stop wasting court time and public purse funds. Stay there and rot.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    There is hope for the Judicial system yet. Keep these worthless dregs out of society.

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  10. Kathleen Bodden-Harris says:

    Good. I think the message should be clear to gangs-if this is the life you choose-then accept the fate.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    For the serious multiple life taking crimes he committed he should have been hung!! – what are we wasting money on him for? Put the money into education.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Keep him locked up. When he was killing in West Bay years ago it was awful. Now you look at them cement walls as you lay your head and think about what a bad man you are. You are exactly where you belong.

    You made that bed you lie in.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Are these wasters gonna be able to continue to clog up the Appeals Court every couple of years or so with their flimsy appeals?

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  14. Anonymous says:

    10 years later and still costing all this money and aggravation. At least we’re safe from him for a good while longer.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Failed appeals should result in increased sentences.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly! Grateful to the judges. CI Govt., if they come back looking funding for appeals PLEASE REFUSE. No more money for these thugs. They never have and never will contribute anything to Cayman so please keep them locked up forever. While you are in there all of you need to try to redeem your unconscionable souls before you meet your maker.

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