Peter Champagnie, Lawyer For Mavado’s Son, Plots Appeal After Sentencing On March 12

Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie has hinted that once sentencing is handed down in the murder case of Dantay Brooks, the teenage son of Dancehall entertainer Mavado, the legal team will request a review of the matter in the Jamaican Court of Appeal.  Brooks and his co-accused, Andre Hinds were found guilty yesterday and will be sentenced on March 12th.

“The defense team is obviously disappointed in the decision, however, I hasten to add that the ruling of a Court must always be respected. This does not take away from a person’s right to appeal. Having said that, we are of the view that the verdict is one that could benefit a review by way of an appeal,” Champagnie told DancehallMag.

“In all the circumstances, it would be inappropriate to go beyond any commentary than what is stated here because the matter is not yet an end. There is a sentencing phase and then thereafter, we will proceed as soon as we can to have the matter dealt with in terms of the Court of Appeal. I know there has been much public interest in this matter, the matter was well contested and we will await an ultimate decision in this matter in the Court of Appeal,” Champagnie added.

Champagnie took the opportunity to commend the sterling efforts of the other members of the defense team Mr. Oswest Senior-Smith, Ms. Tameka Harris and Mr. Kemar Robinson who appeared for the co-accused Mr. Andre Hinds.

” I would also like to acknowledge members of the Prosecution’s team which notwithstanding the adversarial atmosphere, between itself and the defence, conducted themselves with a great degree of civility,” he said.

Justice Leighton Pusey presided over the trial of both men.

During the 12 day trial, prosecutors presented evidence from 14 witnesses. They led with evidence based on the direct eyewitness testimony of the father of the deceased.

The evidence was that on the day before the incident, the eyewitness received word that his son was going to be killed and made arrangements for his son to stay elsewhere. He later had an altercation with the accused Brooks.

Later that night, the eyewitness visited his son to give him some money for food then returned home at 4 Cassava Piece Road. He went into his house and later saw his son, Lorenzo ‘Israel’ Thomas arrive home. The eyewitness, for a couple of hours, observed both accused men and other persons standing near his fence which he pointed out to his son. They then retired to their individual beds. At about 3:30 a.m, the eyewitness heard when his son’s door was kicked off.  He then heard gunshots and saw his son falling to the ground while clutching his chest.

The eyewitness later saw both accused men and two other people in his son’s room. He heard the accused Hines ask if he, the eyewitness, was to be killed and heard another person and the accused Brooks say, “no, (him) no fi dead”.

The eyewitness saw the accused Brooks pass a cutlass to one of the persons in the room (not before the court) who tried to sever Thomas’ head from his body. Declaring that the machete was too dull, that other person emptied a gun in the deceased man’s head.

They then doused the house and the body with gasoline before torching them. Thomas’ body was burnt beyond recognition.

Brooks, 18, was also found guilty of illegal possession of firearm and arson in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston on January 27th. His co-accused, Andre Hinds, was also found guilty of those charged.

The defense team for Brooks opted to have a trial by a judge alone, as opposed to a judge and jury.