Two women convicted of murder; a teenage mother have received lengthy prison terms.
Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson on Tuesday sentenced Zaria Burrows and Dervinique Edwards to 28 years for the 2018 death of Breanna Mackey.
They were convicted of murder in February 2020 after they rejected plea deals in the case.
The judge ordered that Burrows, who reportedly attempted suicide while awaiting sentencing, receive counselling for depression as part of her sentence. Burrows has already spent 21 months in prison, which means that she has 26 years and three months remaining on her sentence.
Grant-Thompson also directed that Edwards receive anger management training during her sentence after revealing that Edwards’ violent behaviour has continued behinds bars. Edwards, who spent 34 months in custody, has 25 years and two months left her on her sentence.
Grant-Thomson described the sentences as “extremely lenient”.
That was little comfort to Edwards, who sobbed uncontrollably as the judge passed sentence.
The prosecutor, Cassie Bethell, had asked for a sentence in the range of 30 to 35 years.
Grant-Thompson said, “I intend with my sentence today to discourage such like-minded young people from taking the law into their own hands, as a mechanism to resolve disputes, even to the point of death.”
Mackey was once friends with her attackers, but they fell out after failing to pay for repairs to a broken phone.
According to the evidence, the convicts and their former co-accused went to the deceased's home on several occasions and threatened her over the phone.
However, her family intervened and chased them away.
Neither Burrows nor Edwards inflicted the fatal blows, but the jury found that they were jointly responsible for her death.
Burrows used her Honda Accord to cut Mackey off as she walked along Key West Street with her sister. Burrows remained in the vehicle while Edwards, Thea Williams, Matia Sylverain, Davonya Lawes, Jolika Dumosle jumped out and attacked Mackey.
Williams stabbed Mackey multiple times in the back while the others kicked, stomped and hurled rocks and bottles at her.
Despite having a car, Burrows did not attempt to take Mackey to the hospital.
After leaving the scene, she and her friend went drinking at Gambier. Burrows later dropped them off at Morris Motel, where police arrested them.
The officers had to force their way into the room and found the murder suspects clutching each other in a tub.
Burrows, who was pregnant at the time, surrendered to police later.
The convicts received the stiffest sentences because they went to trial.
Williams, who fatally stabbed Mackey, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a 25-year sentence. Sylvain was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter after admitting to stomping Mackey.
Two others, Davonya Lawes and Jolika Dumosle, have already been released from prison. They pleaded guilty to causing harm and were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
Devard Francis represented Burrows, and Eleanor Albury represented Evans.
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