Attorneys want killer’s parents to testify

ATTORNEYS representing a convicted killer who is seeking a review of his sentence, say they would like the accused man’s parents to give evidence before the court as part of the mitigating factor in the sentence review. Convicted killer Leroy Andrews’ attorney Mark Seepersad said although there was no precedent relating to Andrew’s parents testifying, he (Seepersad) would like the court to hear what Andrews and his parents had to say. The sentence review hearing came up before Justice Anthony Carmona yesterday in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court at the Hall of Justice. Seepersad and attorney Gerald Ramdeen are seeking to have their client’s sentence reduced and are making submissions relative to setting a reasonable tariff period.

Seepersad yesterday reminded the court that his client “was a child,” when the offence was committed. In reply, Justice Carmona said he (Andrews) was closer to the age of adolescence than puberty and closer to the age where he could be culpable for the crime. According to the judge, the nature of the offence was “exceptionally horrific” and asked how it related to the tariff period. “The victim was strangled, stabbed, burnt with hot water and attempts to burn her body to conceal it, were made,” Justice Carmona said. “What is your take on that as well as the grief of the family?” he enquired. Seepersad agreed that murder was a devastating crime and the factor of family grief would always be present.