Murder accessory gets 3.5yrs

| 08/08/2009

(CNS): The man who was the principal witness in the Crown’s case against 32 year old William McLaughlin-Martinez for the murder of Brian Rankine has been sentenced to three and half years in prison for Accessory After the Fact of Murder. Jason Hinds, a Jamaican national who will likely be deported after serving his sentence, admitted to being with McLaughlin on the night of the murder and witnessing the brutal machete attack. Hinds pleaded guilty to the offence and had told police about his involvement and how he assisted McLaughlin to dispose of evidence following the murder, which took place in McField Lane, George Town, in May 2008.

Appearing before Justice Alex Henderson on Friday 7 August, 27-year-old Hinds could have received as much as a life sentence for his role in assisting McLaughlin in covering up the murder, but his guilty plea and co-operation with the police in mitigation resulted in a lesser custodial period. During McLaughlin-Martinez’s Grand Court trial for murder, the jury heard how Hinds had driven the murderer around that evening in their works van. Hinds had described the vicious murder and said McLaughlin-Martinez went “crazy” as he attacked Rankine with a machete. “I saw him start chopping. He was chopping very fast, chopping like he was crazy and not hisself (sic),” the court had heard.

McLaughlin was found guilty and sentenced to the mandatory life imprisonment on 20 July following a trial in which Hinds was the prosecution’s key witness against him.

Hinds said during the trial that he had sat in the van while the crime took place, but said he had made an attempt to pull McLaughlin from Rankin. However, Hinds left the scene with McLaughlin leaving Rankine for dead and made no attempt to contact the police or the emergency services. Hinds admitted incourt that he then continued to drive McLaughlin around to dispose of various pieces of evidence, and although there were a number of opportunities when he could have driven away and gone to the police, he did not so because he said he was too scared and believed McLaughlin could turn on him. After driving McLaughlin home, where he witness him throw his boots in the bushes, Hinds returned to his own home, where he says he slept fitfully before waking in the morning and burying his own clothes.

“I was terrified,” he told the court, and said that he was too afraid to do anything. However, he said that once he was arrested, he had told the police what had happened and confessed his role in the murder.

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  1. JEB says:

     

    I too would like to said that it’s a CRYING………………. SHAME of the sentence that Jason Hinds received last week for ACCESSORY TO MURDER. I do believe that he had alot more to do in the BRUTAL DEATH of Young BRIAN RANKINE-CARTER but placed the blame on William McLaughlin-Martinez.

    He said what he saw could he have not left the scene or used his cell phone (sure he had one if not two) and reported it to the Police, no instead he helped dispose of evidence.

    The Jury took his story and gave him a slap on the wrist which is a CRYING…………… SHAME.

    My condolences go out to the family of the late Brian Rankine-Carter.

     

  2. Anonymous says:

    What a crying shame, 31/2 years wow! what a ridiculous sentence, he should have been given life as well. He was involved in the killing too, but I guess he was offered good advice shortly after been arrested, one on one counselling on how to fool the judiciary system by our trained service providers.

    What a mockery!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      This sentence needs to be appealed. This man was up to his neck involved with it and it was obvious from the court case that there was collusion.  Too many things just went undone. Unbelievable things like testing the clothes, the machete etc.  Amazing that someone goes to prison for 10 years for the crime of using ganja (a recent case) but commit the most heinous crime, as a result of the same drugs, and get 31/2 years!

      Mr. AG on behalf of the Crown and in the name of humanity, please appeal this sentence.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Wow! Three and a half years. I believe that due to the fact that there were so many screw up’s on the part of the police investigators that they both should have gotten equally at least 10 years. Or someone should have been fired. Forgive me if I’m wrong. If he claims that he was only a witness, from so far away that he could only see the machete swinging above Williams’ head how did he manage to get blood on his clothes and shoes? I don’t know about him but when I’m scared, I RUN. He surely wasn’t that frightened to THINK to clean shoes and burry evidence!  Anyway, only they and GOD know what happened that night. And GOD be with them both. For the life of me I cannot determine how ONE MAN can swing a machete, let alone to chop a man over say 20 times and not get tired and then stab him again another 28 times! All we can do is trust in our justice system. All these secret investigations and lawsuits… doesn’t make it easy though.

  4. Anonymous says:

     I am very furious, let me all tell you how the crime rate is going to continue on in this Island, because of the court that are letting criminals get light sentences like that.  It sends the wrong message especially to our young people.

    "It’s alright to be an accessory to murder in Cayman because we get away free with it.."  After all it’s only 2-5 years sentence.  This is a crying shame!

    The Goverment in Cayman should be ashamed of themselves for allowing criminals to walk freely and go to a prison where they can used cell phones and eat good food.  They need to get more tougher with these sentences and clean up the act down there at the prison.  

    Cayman the time to act is now wake up!  Prison should not be like a hotel.  Cell phones should not be permitted!  Last but not least anyone who help comitt Murder should also recieve a tough sentence like the Murderer himself.  

    • Anonymous says:

      And we wonder why crime is escalating. This is a slap in the face of justice.

      It is all good that he assisted police but would he had if the witness did not pass the registration of this suspicious vehicle on to the police?

      This guy said he tried to stop this assault then went back to the van sat down went back out, hid evidence along the way home, hid evidence after getting home and then got up to go to work the next day like nothing happened, was there not plenty time to report this to the police? My opinion is had the police not recieved the tip and was out looking for this van and when it was located found blood still on it this would not have been reported and this should have been taken in consideration when sentencing. This sentence should be appealed by the crown.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Wow, that is a very small sentence when I for one feel it is not too wild a stretch of the imagination that HE may well have been the murderer along with the other guy.

    I also find it ridiculous that the story reads that he MAY be deported! Kill a Caymanian (or anyone for that matter, just meaning that this is Cayman) and only MAY be deported? Lord have mercy!

    He definately should have gotten more jail time, because at this rate he will be out in 2.

    Though I am not sure how he will be treated up in Northward for being a "grass"……….

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    He will have been given credit for pleading guilty to his role early on (1/3 sentence discount right there, saves on trial expense, emotional distress to families, the court’s time, the jury’s time) and for assisting the prosecution, basically forming the body of their case.  If there were no benefit to be had from doing so every suspect would say nothing and force our incompetent police to do the job themselves: you’d never get a convicition!  Naive to think sentences are given only for the crime committed.  There are other considerations.

  7. Anonymous says:

    He was charged with Accessory after the fact to murder, so what happened to aiding and abbeting because from the testimony given he knew about while it occured and not only after the fact.  He drove the van and helped dispose of certain items.  He was a lot more involved in it than he was charged with and 3 1/2 years is a slap on the wrist.

    • Anonymous says:

      this is very unfair it does not matter wheather he help the police or not, he was there and as far as I see it he is just as guilty an 3 years is for someone that breaks in to a car or house. there are a lot of missing pieces.

      he should get at least 10 years.

      but that is my opinion!! what does it matter