83 killers still on death row

WHEN the Privy Council ruled on July 7 that the mandatory death penalty is the law of Trinidad and Tobago, the British Law Lords also stated that all convicted killers on death row should have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Nearly six months later, nothing has been done by the executive to deal with the Privy Council ruling. In July, there were 86 condemned prisoners. Yesterday, there were 83 on death row and the removal of the three prisoners from the condemned section had nothing to do with any decision of the Law Lords. Charles Matthew was the first beneficiary of the July 7 ruling by the Privy Council which for the first time assembled nine judges to hear whether the death penalty was law in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica.

The Privy Council comprised Lords Bingham (president), Nicholls, Steyn, Hoffman, Hope, Scott, Rodger, Walker and Justice Edward Zacca. Matthew was removed from death row and placed in the Maximum Security Prison at Arouca. The Advisory Committee on the Power of Pardon headed by Minister of National Security Martin Joseph, advised President Maxwell Richards to commute the death sentence passed on Matthew. He was subsequently removed from death row. Two others — Glenroy Bishop and Cyrus Braithwaite — were removed from death row after the Court of Appeal quashed their death sentences recently. But the 83 condemned prisoners, who should have benefited from the July 7 ruling, remain in limbo, spending another Christmas Day in their cells, although they received a tasty Christmas meal.

Lawyers representing some of the condemned prisoners have been asking the authorities about the status of their clients. But there has been no positive response from the authorities. Of the 83 prisoners still on death row, several are awaiting appeals to the local Court of Appeal and to the Privy Council. Some have lost all their appeals and are awaiting a review by the Mercy Committee. Among those awaiting appeal to the Privy Council are the ten men sentenced to death for killing TSTT driver Thackoor Boodram. They are Richard Huggins, Damian Ramiah, Leslie Huggins, Michael “Rat” Maharaj, Junior “Heads” Phillip, Mark “Biko” Jaikaran, Samuel Maharaj, Daniel Gopaul, Bobby Ramiah and Seenath Ramiah. They were sentenced to death on July 8, 2001 in the Port-of-Spain Criminal Court after they were found guilty of killing Boodram on December 30, 1997.

Boodram, who was kidnapped ten days before his death, was the brother of executed killer Dole Chadee. They lost their appeals on October 2, 2002. Awaiting their appeals before the Court of Appeal are Arnold Huggins, Leslie Huggins, and Junior Phillip. They were convicted in the Port-of-Spain High Court on May 8, 2003 for the murder of State witness Clint Huggins. Huggins, who was the State’s main witness against Chadee and others was shot, stabbed and burnt and his body left in a car on the Uriah Butler Highway, Mount Hope, on February 20, 1996.