Judge jails ‘evil’ Melville for 55 years

Joseph Melville’s instructions to his co-conspirators to kill Cox was “bone chilling and staggering in their savagery,” and “constituted a monument to evil,” said Justice Melville Baird yesterday, as he sentenced the convicted Melville, an attorney-at-law, to a total of 55 years on a four-count indictment. Since the sentences are to run concurrently, Melville will only serve 20 years hard labour, which started yesterday. Co-accused, “PH” driver Hilton Winchester, was sentenced to a total of 27 years, but will only serve 10 years as his sentences are also to run concurrently.

Justice Baird also described Melville’s plan to kill Cox as “cogitated, calculated and composed.” He also criticised Melville for failing the young people of this country as an exemplar and blotting the good name of the profession. But the judge was high in praise of the witness, Ainsley Letren, for bravery, noting that Cox owed her life to him. elville, a 47-year-old father of two, was found guilty of attempting to murder Cox on June 28, 2001, at Cumberland Hill in St James. On this count he was sentenced to 20 years while Winchester received 10. On the conviction of conspiracy to murder, Melville received 20 and Winchester 10. On the kidnapping charge, Melville got 10 while Winchester got five, and on the assault occasioning a wound conviction, Melville got five and Winchester two.

Leading the State’s case was senior prosecutor Trevor Ward, assisted by George Busby, while Nathaniel King and Ken Sagar represented Melville. Winchester was defended by Thomas Cunningham. King said they intend to appeal the conviction and sentence.  Melville, who was found guilty on Monday, March 15, and was remanded in custody for sentencing,  also attended the Magistrates’ Court on St Vincent Street yesterday, about 30 minutes earlier, to answer a charge of fraud. He left the Magistrates’ Court all smiles and entered the dock of the Port-of-Spain First Assizes carrying that smile, laughing and talking.

But as soon as Justice Baird started his preamble to pronouncing sentence, the smile disappeared off Melville’s face. When the judge ordered: “Take him away,” Melville seemed a bit confused and was fumbling in the docks to retrieve some documents as the policemen moved in to escort him to the holding cells. In passing sentence, Justice Baird said: “The young people of this country  need role models to help them attain and maintain their cruising rhythm. Traditionally, the doctor and the lawyer have been looked up to and admired as being the quintessential paradigm. Joseph Melville has failed the young people of this country.”