Killer denied appeal and life term sticks

Tareek Ricketts (courtesy of Cayman27)

(CNS): A George Town man convicted of murder in 2013 when he killed his former partner’s lover has been denied the chance to appeal the conviction and his mandatory life term. Tareek Ricketts was found guilty of the murder of Jackson Rainford, who was gunned down in George Town in December 2012. 

Ricketts’ appeal was dismissed by the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal Monday, when the three judges denied his request for transcripts. Representing himself, Ricketts had previously abandoned the appeal but in February he gave notice again of wishing to overturn the conviction and sentence. Asking for transcripts from the trial, he claimed the judge’s summary for the jury included “misdirections” in the way the evidence was presented.

But the high court denied Ricketts’ request for the transcripts. Ricketts had said he planned to use the transcripts to determine if he should go through with the appeal. He told the panel that he was relying on advice from an attorney but he did not want representation.

Sir John Chadwick, president of the appeal court, asked Ricketts why they should give him the transcripts, given that he had previously abandoned the appeal. The senior judge explained that the cost of providing transcripts has to be justified by need and the appeal court had not heard sufficient reasons for him to need them.

After dismissing the appeal on his conviction, the judges said the appeal against his sentence would also fail since he is serving what is still a mandatory life term. “Appeal against sentence not attached to an appeal against conviction will fail,” the president pointed out.

However, as a result of the Bill of Rights the government has had to abandon the mandatory “life means life” following last year’s amendment of the Conditional Release Bill.

This will pave the way for ‘lifers’ to receive a specific minimum term to serve and then an opportunity to apply for parole but that law has not yet been implemented.  The new legislation introduces a tariff system to replace what used to be whole life terms. Government has recommended a thirty year tariff for murder but the legislators gave discretion to the courts depending on the circumstances.

Once the bill comes into effect, Ricketts and around two dozen other prisoners serving life terms will be able to apply to the courts for a specific tariff. At only 23 years old and convicted of a single crime of passion, Ricketts is very likely to receive a shorter minimum term, which would allow him to apply to the parole board for early release once the tariff term is reached.

Jaida Alexander, an intern with CNS, contributed to this report.