Finger biter escapes jail after guilty plea
(CNS): A woman who bit off the end of her friend’s small finger during a drunken fight was handed a 12 month suspended sentence for one year and ordered to pay over $1,200 in medical costs. in court Tuesday, KerryAnn Jackson admitted biting off the top of the victim’s little finger and pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding but denied the original charge of wounding with the intent to do grievous bodily harm as she said she had never intended to harm anyone. Jackson said the injury was a result of carelessness in a fight. The altercation occurred, the court heard, after Jackson’s friend tried to prevent her from driving home while drunk.
Jackson caused the injury when she fought with the victim following a night out drinking at a club with her friends. One of the women had sought to dissuade Jackson not to drive home but the defendant, who was said to be inebriated, insisted. As the complainant took the keys from her friend and tried to reason with her not to drive, the words became heated and eventually turned into a physical fight. At some point in the fight the victim felt a stinging sensation and looked to see the top of her smallest finger was missing down to the joint. The court heard that Jackson, wearing a contorted expression on her face, then spat the piece of her friend’s finger on the ground.
The victim was rushed to hospital where the skin and the remaining finger was grafted but the top could not be saved. Although the injury was said to have healed, the joint is missing.
When handing down the sentence Justice Carol Beswick said that Jackson was of previous good character and the injury was caused by a single bite and not a sustained attack. As a result of her actions, the judge said, the defendant had also already suffered as she has lost her friendship with the victim and others involved who had all been very close, she has acquired a criminal record preventing her from travelling, in particular to the US, and although employed at a local bank the conviction has reduced her employment opportunities.
The judge noted, however, that she had to consider the position of the victim and her pain and suffering. She ordered that Jackson pay her former friends medical costs of $1205.09 and place the defendant on a curfew during the period of the suspended sentence on Friday, Saturday and Sundays between 9pm and 6am. She also barred Jackson from drinking in a public place throughout the twelve months.
In accordance with the sentencing guidelines, the circumstances of the offence and local precedents, the judge said the starting point after a trial would have been a suspended sentence of 18 months for two years but discounted the periods to 12 months after Jackson’s plea.
Category: Crime
To the comment posted at 13:38.
I for one hope she does learn from this experience. She already has to deal with this being posted for everyone to read. I would not want to be in her shoes.
The young people these really need to do better because they are putting not only themselves in danger but other people by drinking and driving !!!
Yes I do agree that young people need to do better. People have their own opinion of whatever I posted and really I am not going to bother to reply to what they said. It’s something that happened two years ago and unfortunately it got dragged out so long. I am sure most who have commented weren’t there the night. You can’t control how people choose to drink. Young people go over their limit as well as older folks. Not the wisest decision, I know. But the sad thing about all of this is the fact that the person that the fight original started with had nothing to do taking the keys from Kerryann because she couldn’t drive; when police got involved the story changed and being that Kerryann was drunk that didn’t help her situation. But such is life, you live and learn.
On to another note: Young people who are reading on this website and are not registered voters and you are eligible, please pay attention to the media as there will be a few promotions going on that will assist you in this process ! For those of you who have commented i hope you are registered voters, so that if you would like the government to implement some law that would limit the number of DUI's in this island. Register to vote !! 🙂
Typical CNS! Exaggeration andstraying from the truth!
LET ME FIRST STATE: I am NOT condoning what Kerryann did. Too often we find young people drinking and driving. I made that foolish mistake about four years ago and thank God I only did damage to my mother’s wall. And from that day until today I have not driven under the influence. If I am going to drink I carry a friend who is going to be the sober one for the night. But let me just give my two cents in this matter. As I caught some of what went down.
First of yes the friend trying to take the keys away from Kerryann was doing her a favor and being a good friend. It’s not like we haven’t all been friends for YEARS!!!! We both know Kerryann and how she acts when she is drunk, so we know how to handle her. You can t expect to scream at a drunken person and hauling and pushing at them. They are already intoxicated and not in their right mind to assess a situation. So that started out wrong from the get go and then that resulted in an argument and brawl. THEN “the lady who got her finger bitten off” DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. Being the aunt of the friend who was trying to get the keys away from Kerryann; sought to defend her niece and started shouting, pushing and shoving her fingers in Kerryann’s face! Now tell me how is this going to now make sense to someone who is drunk, TWO people hitting, hauling, pushing and grabbing at you??? Come on now! This didn’t have to reach so far anyway because after Kerryann sobered up and was told what happened, she did go and offer to pay the hospital bill from the get go!
XXXX
We are all free to do what we want for sure! I am not saying because you go out and a drunk person hits you, it’s your fault don’t get me wrong! I am sure Kerryann has learnt her lesson from that experience. And unfortunately she won’t be the last teenager who thinks they can drink and drive. Didn’t we witness THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION!!!!! Has anyone heard anything about that????????
AND ON TO A DIFFERENT SUBJECT…did they just fine the man who brought in explosive ONLY $1300?? This is a messed up system and they argue Kerryann escaping prison time.
CNS: Please note that this is not a report of the incident but a report on what was said in the court room during Kerryann's trial. It does not appear that you understand the difference.
13:38, so all i can gather from your tirade is that if 2 people are up in your face, pushing you around, trying to get your car keys off of you because you are too plastered to drive, you have a right to bite that persons finger off?
Okaaayyyyyyyy then.
Well you know most drunken people don’t exactly have full control of themselves!!!!! I did not say what she did was right!!!!!! I simply said the situation started off badly. Because Kerryann was carrying on how she was in her drunken state…why would you go and start a fight with a drunken person???? Why would you start shouting and fighting?? Maybe if she came in and tried to PART the fight and not join in and start fighting, we have this end result. This turned into a fight for no reason. Fighting with a drunken person is like conversing with a mute????!!!! #go figure!
But you know such is life, most people only good to sit and bash other people. We sit on our high and mighty throne and talk. We live, we learn. All I can do is encourage Kerryann to learn from this mistake and hope other young folks learn from this as well.
You seem to find it acceptable that someone is drunk! You also seem to think that if "you" argue with someone who is drunk then you can expect a violent reaction…..GO FIGURE???
Is it just the mojitos in me, or does this rant make no sense at all? I appreciate that whatever point she was trying to make would be gibberish, but she really did not make any point.
However the sentence "We both know KerryAnn and how she acts when she is drunk, so we know how to handle her." speaks volumes! It appears her drunken behaviour was not a one off.
Why so angry/ wound up?
You sound like an idiot and your post don’t make no sense, so whatever you were trying to say is wasted.
Get better control of your emotions so you can make a point
Otherwise it’s just noise
"Not a sustained attack as the finger was severed with a single bite". I am sure the fight lasted some time, and as it resulted in permanent disfigurement to the victim, I do not understand the reasoning behind this comment. It only shows the assailant has sharp teeth.. Similarly, it seems the inability to go shopping in Miami is deemed to be a far greater punishment than jail time.
"When handing down the sentence Justice Carol Beswick said that Jackson was of previous good character" : except that she admitted being the sort selfish moron that thinks it is OK to drive home drunk. People like that kill people and are not of "good character" in my book.
If you know you cant handle alcohol then dont drink it.It dont make you no less of a woman it onlky make you look like a a…. like you do now.
I've seen this type of madness from drunk women before as a nightclub security manager.
This incident didn't end up in a fight but it bears home the point.
I once escorted an extremely intoxicated woman out of a venue…she was so drunk that she had lost her shoe, couldn't stand up on her own…or speak coherently.
Under all LL laws, common sense principles…and for her own safety, it was my job to escort her from the venue and try to see that she could get home safely.
She was in no state to argue the matter and complied willingly…well. I practically had to carry her out but…
Her rude, aggressive friend took exception, started to cause a scene, berated and insulted the other security officers…and called the police…
And waited for over an hour…after her friend's daughter had come and taken her home…for the police to turn up after she kept calling and harassing them…
To come and question the security officers about the lies that she had told.
The police were quickly told what had happened…and went their way.
This might sound callous but would the friend have intervened, knowing it would cause her to be maimed for life ?
I'll bet she regrets trying to help her friend now !
Some people simply aren't worth the time, effort…and pain.
Such a lady….
Carelessness in a fight? Not in my world. Welcome to the employment blacklist. I love the internet.
she must been to been to Mike Tyson School lmao!
Dear poster at 11:34, why once again ya’ll gotta make this a government issue, this has nothing to do with the Government, extended bar hours or lax bartenders, this is clearly about an irresponsible person who wanted to have her way and drive home, and thankfully had good enough friends that wouldn’t allow her to drive drunk. This same incident couldve happened at any hour of the day.
You are probably related to the offender and is seeking excuses like you all people do, let’s take responsibility for our actions and stop using the government as our scape goats.
I must call you out on one thing. As a former bartender, it was my responsibility to make sure to not serve a person that was clearly intoxicated. What happened to the liquor laws? Can we please start enforcing a few laws around here? If someone was found to be DUI, the police would try to find out where they were drinking last.
Now, the bartenders don't even ask the young people for ID when they go and order drinks. Unless the person is 40 years old and full of wrinkles like me, they should be carded.
I'm not saying the drunk person is not responsible but the bartender who serves them has a responsibility as well.
It is very obvoius to anyway meeting me that I am well over the age of 21. When I was asked for ID at a Night Club in Las Vegas, I laughed, pointed to my white hair, and sun wethered face. He pointed to a sign that says "State Law, we require everyone who enters to show ID"
People that steal purses, sell drugs, carry knives and intend to use them…. Don't carry ID!
Ask for ID. If people dont have it, or are unwilling to carry/show it, chances are you dont want them inside anyway.
classy….
Don't bite the finger that is trying to save you!
Why did she escape jail??
If she'd driven drunk & killed her friend what would have bene the outcome?
REgardess, this is another outcome of our new PARTY Culture, thanks to the ease of alcohol, irresponsible aprty people, the lax bartenders, and the Extended Hours (nice governmetntdecision & service there eh?)
…admitted biting off the top of the victim’s little finger and pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding but denied the original charge of wounding with the intent to do grievous bodily harm as she said she had never intended to harm anyone. Jackson said the injury was a result of carelessness in a fight…
At some point in the fight the victim felt a stinging sensation and looked to see the top of her smallest finger was missing down to the joint. The court heard that Jackson, wearing a contorted expression on her face, then spat the piece of her friend’s finger on the ground."
Wow! Got into a drunken fight and never intended to harm anyone? Carelessness in a fight… is there such a thing? With friends like this who would need enemies? Glad she's not in my circle of "friends".
Clearly, let no good deed go unpunished!
Shame, as the unnamed friend clearly did the right thing in trying to prevent Jackson from trying to drive drunk. There should be more people like her around and I commend her for trying to stop yet another drunk driver from getting behind the wheel.
Hopefully the police and the government will publicize the actions of the unnamed friend as the "right" way to behave when confronted by a friend trying to drive home drunk.