20 years in prison for ‘execution’ before parole possible

Describing the murder of Jamar Haynes as “an execution”, Justice Carlisle Greaves sentenced Jandolph St Clair to life imprisonment with 20 years to serve before he is eligible for release.

“It was a murder carried out in vengeance, and the law must never tolerate vengeance,” the judge said on Friday as he sentenced the No. 6 Hilton Row, Princess Royal Avenue, the Pine, St Michael resident who admitted to killing Haynes on October 26, 2019, on Combermere Street in the City. Haynes died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The court heard statements from witnesses who saw a hooded man walk up behind Haynes that night before hearing gunshots. One witness said that after Haynes fell to the ground, the man stood over him, kicked him in the head and shot him several more times before searching his pockets and walking away.

St Clair told the police that he was headed to a strip club in The City when he saw Haynes and approached him to ask about the death of a friend. He said Haynes then pulled a gun from his waist.

“My mind snapped, and we had a scuffle, and in it, the gun went off. It was not my intention to kill this man,” he stated.

In his pre-sentencing report, however, St Clair said that he killed Haynes in retaliation after his friend had been murdered. He said he had been overcome with hurt and anger and had been determined to get revenge for his friend, who was a mentor to him. St Clair also insisted that Haynes, who had 12 previous convictions, was “a nuisance”.

Taking the stance that a life sentence was appropriate with a tariff due to the circumstances of the case, the judge gave a starting sentence of 35 years. Justice Greaves took note of St Clair’s 11 previous convictions – including for theft, damages, and assault – and his prison report which showed that he committed several infractions while in custody and was considered at a high risk of recidivism.

“I think when a person shows a tendency of a high risk of reoffending when convicted of a murder, it is in the public’s interest that the State maintain some kind of supervisory capacity over that person for life. When a person is sentenced to life, it means exactly that – until he dies – but he may be released, and a release is subject to recall when there are further breaches and I think in cases like these, the State should retain that power over the convicted person,” Greaves said.

Outlining several aggravating factors, Justice Greaves pointed out that St Clair was armed in advance, the element of premeditation, that he virtually stalked Haynes from behind, that the offence was done in retaliation and in a public place, and that the murder weapon was not recovered.

“Even if you felt that he is a menace as his conviction record and witnesses seem to suggest, the arrogant nature of your execution cannot be justified,” he stated before increasing the sentence to 45 years, highlighting that St Clair showed “a reckless and total disregard for life”.

However, he then lowered the time to 36 years, considering the killer’s expression of remorse and other factors before making deductions for his early guilty plea and the four years he spent in custody.

Earlier in the proceedings, St Clair apologised to the court, his family and Haynes’ relatives for his actions, stating that he was no longer the person who had committed the offence.