DPP: Let victim’s relatives testify at killer’s sentencing

Henderson raised the issue before Justice Anthony Carmona during the sentencing review of Leroy Andrews, a killer at age 16, who was sentenced at the court’s pleasure.

Andrews’ attorneys, Mark Seepersad and Gerald Ramdeen, told the court they had no objections to such a procedure.

When the matter came up yesterday, Henderson, leading Joy Ramkissoon, suggested that the court wait on a decision from the Court of Appeal in the matter of Chuck Attin, who was similarly circumstanced, and in whose appealed judgment the court is expected to give some guidelines. Justice Carmona and Andrews’ attorneys were in agreement.

The review of sentencing became an issue after the Privy Council ruled that convicted persons under the age of 18 ought not to have been sentenced at the President’s pleasure as was the custom, but at the court’s pleasure. The latter would be in keeping with the doctrine of separation of powers.

Henderson said it was most important that families testify, especially in this particular case, so that a balance could be struck. He said the judge needed to know how the death of the person impacted on the family, more so in a case where the killer was saying he was remorseful.

Andrews, now 28, was found guilty and sentenced at the State’s pleasure by Justice Lennox Deyalsingh in the Port-of-Spain Assizes on June 29, 1993, for the murder of Marion Narinesingh, wife of a UWI professor.

Andrews was a former gardener of the Narinesinghs. On the day of the killing he had gone to the house and asked Mrs Narinesingh for some mangoes. She gave him some, then he strangled her to death.