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Man Found Guilty of Murder
posted (December 11, 2019)
And because those "nolle pros" outcomes are so common, the next story is something different. A man was convicted of murder today. 30 year old Valentine Baptist was found guilty of the 2016 murder of 19 year old Devin Parham. It happened today in a trial without jury before Justice Colin Williams.

On July 6, 2016, Parham and his cousin, Victor Parham, were walking on Cemetery Road near to First Choice Pharmacy when a gunman on bicycle opened fire. Victor ran while Devin was shot multiple times and died on the spot.

There was no eye witness and Senior Crown Counsel Shanice Lovell won the conviction by relying on circumstantial evidence. Shortly after the shooting Baptist was found with a Glock 9 millimeter pistol that he had thrown in a yard on Dean Street. The police had recovered 7 expended shells and 2 bullets from the crime scene. Ballistic evidence cross-matched the shells found at the scene, with the gun that Baptist admitted to throwing in the yard. He was also found guilty and sentenced to 2 years for that gun in 2018.

So, he implicated himself with what was proven to be the murder weapon, but in a statement from the dock - Baptist put a wrinkle in the story. He said that on the day of the murder a man riding fast on a bicycle handed him a firearm, which he later threw into a yard on Dean Street. But Justice Williams did not believe that's how he came by the firearm, and he was found guilty.

Baptist's attorney, Simeon Sampson, had submitted that he did not have a case to answer to. But Sampson's submission was not upheld by Justice Williams. Sentencing has been set for February 13th.

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