Brothers convicted of GT murder
Justin Ramoon (far left) and Osbourne Douglas escorted by prison officers as the court visits the scene of Jason Powery’s murder
(CNS): Osbourne Douglas (29) and Justin Ramoon (24) were found guilty Thursday of killing Jason Powery following a judge alone trial last month. Justice Charles Quin said he was satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that it was Ramoon who had shot the West Bay man in the face using a loaded 9mm handgun given to him just minutes before by his brother, Douglas, who picked up his younger sibling seconds after the murder outside the Globe Bar in Martin Lane last July. The judge found both men were responsible for the murder and both had possessed the weapon in a joint enterprise.
As Justice Quin delivered a three-hour verdict, Ramoon, who was slouched in the dock, and Douglas remained largely impassive as it became apparent the judge believed the two eyewitness accounts on which the bulk of the crown’s case was based. He found that the crown had proved its case, in which the two local men did not take the stand in their own defence.
During police interviews Douglas and Ramoon admitted to being in the area on the night of the fatal shooting because they lived very close to the location but they denied the charges, stating they had nothing to do with the killing. During the trial they claimed that it was a case of mistaken identity by the two eyewitnesses, who they said were gang members with criminal records, were unreliable and had reason to lie and blame others as they were both suspects. One of the witnesses is also facing a firearms charge and the brothers’ attorneys had suggested he had given evidence in the murder trial hoping to bargain a lighter sentence in his own case.
But Justice Quin said he found both of the crown’s key witnesses to be truthful and reliable, with their evidence being supported by CCTV evidence and shell casings.
During the trial the crown had not offered a motive as to why the brothers had shot and killed 20-year-old Powery, who had gone to the George Town bar from West Bay with the two witnesses, who were his friends. However, during the investigation the police stated that they believed the murder was a gang-related killing.
The brothers were remanded in custody in the wake of the verdict until 14 July, when they will be sentenced for both the unlicensed firearm and, as a result of the new conditional release law, the murder.
Under the new legislation, which abolishes the concept of a life sentence without parole, which was previously given for murder, the brothers will be given a minimum tariff, which will be the time they must serve before becoming eligible for consideration for parole. The law sets the guideline at thirty years but judges are required to consider a list of aggravating and mitigating factors before setting the minimum jail term. Consideration will also be given to the men’s previous criminal records.
This is the second time that Douglas has been convicted of murder. In September 2010 he and two other men were convicted of killing Omar Samuels in a July 2009 shooting in McField Square. Samuels bled to death from a gunshot wound to the leg.
However, in November 2011 Douglas was acquitted of the killing by the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, which found the evidence had been too weak in the case and the trial should have been stopped after a no case submission by the defence. He was also acquitted of a firearms charge in 2012 after a judge threw out the case for lack of evidence.
Douglas has also been named but not charged in other serious crimes, including being the second gunman in the Bonaventure Boys home shootings in 2010, for which Raziel Jeffers was convicted of killing Marcus Ebanks (18) and trying to kill Adrian Powell, who was just 14 at the time.
Ramoon is also known to the authorities. He was convicted in July 2013 for wounding with intent and sentenced to seven years in connection with a stabbing in 2012, but the Court of Appeal also overturned that verdict in 2014 as a result of the judge’s failure to give jurors a specific warning about identification evidence. He was also convicted of possession of an imitation firearm when he was just 18 in early 2010, for which he had received a three-year term.
Sportsfans, come on, these proto-humans need caging for a minimum of100 years, with maybe (let’s be reasonable and compassionate, for goodness sake) 10 years or so off for good behaviour.
If there were decent sentences and none of this liberal nonsense about rehabilitation then these thugs have been locked up. Prison should be for punishment and to protect society from criminal scum. There is no point in trying to turn these losers into good citizens.
These characters are a blight on Cayman, and the more time they are caged the better. Hope they are childrenless, for obvious reasons. Talk about a waste of space x 2.
Crack babies
You must have been there doing it too to say such a thing or know the effects of being one. These boys are someone’s children have some manners when you talk on things you know nothing about.
Who really cares if they’re someone’s children? Have some manners when talking about 2 cold-blooded murderers who have repeatedly been involved in various killings??? They’re a waste of oxygen. Get a brain!
A key demographic in the upcoming election, the murderer apologist demographic.
Wot?
9:58, have some respect for murderers? Are you one of their baby mamas? For people like these 2 and a few others they should bring back the death sentence because when they are out in 15yrs, guess what will happen?
I have to be a “baby mama” to state my view? Please let some oxygen circulate to your little brain this fine Monday morning. I never said that you have to respect them. I said have manners when speaking of things you know nothing about. Cant you read? Would you like to be called a crack baby or would you like it if someone insinuated that your mother was on crack?
Your mother being on crack would at least give you an excuse for your rude attitude. Sadly, I think you don’t have that excuse and you are just plain rude.
You’re right I dont have that as an excuse.. and there is nothing sad about that. What is sad is that you think your opinion of me actually matters. I’m free to say what I feel if you cant handle that who’s problem is that? Not mine darling so take it else where, xoxo.
Listen sportsfan, I was never “there” murdering people, and what kind of foolishness are you talking about “manners”? You ever heard about the Ten Commandments? “Boys” -are you nuts? These are cold blooded killers who would murder your child without a second thought. Get real, sir/madam.
Despite the rain of criticism of the cops about can’t solve crime the convictions keep coming…keep up the fight RCIPS and take these scums off our streets and throw them in the slammer where they belong.
Police should just shoot them like what they do in jamaica
Then this really would be just like Jamaica.
They shoot them in jamaica because you get 14 years for a firearm, cheaper to kill them than keep them in storage feeding them
So you’re saying it’s mainly an economic measure? Interesting.
send them back to Jamacia
They cant go back anywhere they are from here.. What you need to be worried about is sending yourself back to school
Jamaica****
So they are Jamaicans now
Is it actually possible to confer Jamaican nationality from the courts here in Cayman? I mean, it’d be really useful in regard to the crime statistics when you think about it. I tell you what, it’d get my thumbs up.
Wow, comments so full of hate in a Christian forgiving country! The main aim of the justice system is to initially punish with the sentence and then use that sentence to rehabilitate the prisoner. This is what sets a democracy aside from other forms of Government. A young man who kills was not born a killer, but is a product of the society that he grows up in. Yes as he got older he had choices to make, but when you are not in a positive environment it is difficult to make the right choice.
You are what you want to be.
Sounds good on paper. Little more difficult to put into practice.
In order to rehabilitate, you have to be habilitated in the first place. Perhaps Mac should use some of his time in cleaning up his district rather than criticizing everything government is doing.
Other natioalities have built the majority of churches here, suggesting that other countries are deemed as Christians yet hate and crime abound there. The islands’population is mainly made up of other nationalities so the repetitive “christian” sarcasm is very stale.
“when you are not in a positive environment it is difficult to make the right choice”
Which murder committed by these two men are you referring to with that statement, the first, second or third?
No doubt you are a very nice person, but you are also, evidently, very naive. My dear, have you ever read about “Hitler’s Willing Executioners”? Do a lot of reading, hold in abeyance any “ideas” you currently hold dear, and grow in knowledge and understanding.
Stop this social issue crap. Every country has social issues and the best way to end a social issue of growing crime is to do what Cayman has never considered till now, “Swift and Hard” punishment with no tolerance. Don’t let them out of prison early for some idiotic humanitarian ideology. Build a prison that has a system of change and education and not a dog kennel; so if they do get released they have an opportunity. Build a police force that has the funding and professionals to deal with the issues. CIG should make education a priority. Its very easy with such a small population.
Young men like these from dysfunctional families will continue to present a serious challenge to the education system. Their files are confidential during their school days because they are “children” under the law and teachers in regular schools would be denied access to them. Usually in desperation and alarm they are sent to “alternative provision”, too late. Presented with the same curriculum, teachers would have to watch out for their lives! Until resources are directed to a credible and functional technical vocational program we will loose these young men and their victims to violent crimes.
The piece of the story that is consistently missing in reporting these convictions is the follow-upinvestigation into their backgrounds. What were their family life like? DId they have a family life? Are they educated? To what grade? Was their a father in the picture? A mother? Addictions in the parents? Mental illness? Physical abuse? Poverty? What were the contributing factors to how they arrived at this point in time of convicted criminals.
The pattern of covering their final event before they head off to life in prison represents the final chapter in their current life. The important information lies in their past and upbringing (the other 19 chapters) and should be publicized.
When we know better, we do better.
8:30 am One way to eliminate criminals, is by reducing reproduction. Too many children having children, therefore producing small of our problems. No proper family life.
Legal abortions and better access to birth control. Then easy legal access to the morning after pill and the abortion pill. All are available in Cayman. It is not easy nor are abortions or abortion pill legal.
“Legal abortions” – Nah, chill.
Theyre from central, no need to wonder
What exactly do you mean by this. The man who was just selected as CIFA President is from Central too.
Yes to all of the above
Animals. No heart, no emotion.
Congratulations to the RCIPS on a successful investigation and to the DOPP on a successful prosecution.
FINALLY OFF THAT SCUM IS STREETS. Congratulations that it wasn’t a jury trial!!!
I would have loved to listen to Quinn speak for 3 hours on this. Thank you Charles.
They’d have been acquitted if it was a jury! They were just trying to feed their 5 kids and keep their business afloat and pay the mortgage…
Foolish comment.. they can still appeal and be acquitted. Until then the money that you pay government will still go towards feeding them 3 meals per day 🙂 let that marinate. Life is funny you never know when it can be you and yours so let that too marinate before you praise this situation. Educate yourself about the case don’t always be so quick to listen to the media. Why didnt they publish their defense arguments or key discrepancies?
They should all have to work everyday to provide the food they eat, while incarcerated.
Thank you! This has always been my view. Whilst being caged, these semi-humans should be compelled to work bloody hard to earn their grub. They have been a blight on society, so make the bastards do some work for a change. I’m sick and tired of these cretins!
You clearly cannot read properly – I do believe the article said “the two local men did not take the stand in their own defence” so I mean…
Also, I believe the previous comment about “feed their 5 kids…” was a joke based on another court case, not about the fact that government will be paying for their meals.
I can read just fine… you clearly are basic and have no understanding. The defense closing speeches were not published.. none of the key discrepancies, which there are alot of were published.
Your belief on the previous comment is irrelevant.. my comment about government feeding them has nothing to do with that. 🙂
FYI – Defense arguments can also come from QC’s that represent them.
Apparently they weren’t worth reporting. So what?
U clearly do not understand court proceedings, they did not take the stand in their own defense, which is their right and simply means that at the trial they they did not care to verbalize statements that their defense team would have had to provide at all levels of prosecution submissions. The one thing that is not being mentioned is what business anyone has in an alleyway of Globe Bar, if you were going to Gaza Wednesday you should have gone and be done with it. In the end we have lost three of our young Caymanian men to another stupid, senseless crime. Instead of tearing down let’s pray for all of the family members involved and stop talking about humans like they are animals. As for making a comment about another case, who does that? It didn’t even make sense!
Just pray that the Court of Appeal doesn’t turn them loose again.
Thank you commissioner Baines. But oh wait he is gone now.
You should thank Kurt Walton and his team of front line detectives for gathering evidence and securing a conviction in court, and not Baines in the ivory tower.
Where are the usual posters saying they should be deported?
Wish they could be.
6:34 anything or anyone who is an nuisance in any community should be eliminated. Whether they are expats or locals. And just in case you are wondering who I am, I am a born and breed CAYMANIAN who sees wrong or bad behaviour in any form as unacceptable in this country.
Yeh12.39. I count wearing that “Caymanian” badge as if it’s important a sinful pride. Go punish yourself!
They are sons of the soil.
RCIPS playing garbage man now and taking trash off the streets.
Well done RCIPS.
Good riddance to bad rubbish. It sounds like these two should have been banged up a long time ago. I bet they thought they were invisible, not any more you total scum bags.
The Cayman Islands thanks you Justice Quin.
Good riddance. These men are a colossal waste of time and space.
They should rot in hell!