Manslayer sentenced with stringent conditions

A starting sentence of 18 years in prison was imposed on convict Emmerson Alexander Hurdle who slayed his brother with a knife back in 2012.

Hurdle, alias Patchy, of Gall Hill No. 2, St John had pleaded not guilty on the murder charge but guilty of manslaughter in the death of Robert Squires on August 16, 2012. Squires died from a stab wound to the chest, according to the postmortem.

Today, the confessed killer was given the starting sentence when his matter came up before Justice Randall Worrell in the No. 2 Supreme Court during a virtual hearing.

Justice Worrell pointed to the aggravating features of the case particularly the fact that a life had been lost and that a weapon, namely a knife, had been used.

“Your brother lost his life at your hands . . . . This was not an easy attack even when one says there was an element of self defence . . . clearly the act or response was disproportionate. Looking at your past you are clearly a violent man,” the judge stated. He also noted the mitigating features adding that these “are not great”.

A third discount was given for his guilty plea taking the 18-year starting sentence to 12 years in prison. Several other factors were also taken into consideration including a deduction for the 3 203 days Hurdle had already spent on remand leaving him with 82 more days to spend at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.

However the High Court judge had to become “creative” with the remainder of Hurdle’s sentence given the recommendations from doctors at the Psychiatric Hospital.

The remaining 82 days were suspended for two years paving the way for Hurdle to be released today.

Taking into consideration the need for rehabilitation, that sentence came with the conditions to which the convict agreed to in writing including that he has to take all medication prescribed to him and attend all out patient appointments given by the Psychiatric Hospital. He must also stay away and abstain from consuming all intoxicating substances and subject himself to regular unscheduled drug testing. A quarterly report must also be prepared and submitted to the No. 2 Supreme Court on the manslayer who is expected to reside under the supervision and care of his family.

“Should you breach any of the undertakings you would be brought back to serve the remainder of your 82 days and any other sentence imposed.”

According to the facts presented by Senior Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas, after getting in an altercation with Squires and stabbing him to death on August 16, 2012, Hurdle went to his sister’s house and told her to call the police because he had killed a man.

The convict’s sister complied but Hurdle took the phone from her when the call connected and told the officer: “I now kill a man.”

Lawmen responded and on arrival Hurdle explained that Squires alias Stash, “Come and asked me to go and buy some dope and I tell he ‘no, I done with that sort of thing’. I don’t do that no more’. He start to get on aggressive and tell me he would shoot me.

“He reached for something black and start to cut me up with a knife. I bite off piece of he ear and piece of he finger. He was still cutting at me and I stab he in he neck and hit he in he face with a rock, cause he won’t stop. I went by my sister and call the police cause it was either me or he.”

Hurdle, who was represented by attorney-at-law Dennis Headley, handed to police a knife saying: “This is the knife I stab he in the neck with.”

He then pointed out the location of the body.