“I want to apologize to the deceased family. I never meant to take their loved one’s life.”
That was the statement by Patrick Smith Felix to the Court and the surviving relatives of Cuban butcher—Ofredis Duarte Campos—just before he was handed a 24-year sentence for the part he played in the man’s killing.
Campos was shot as he made his way to work on what tomorrow morning will be four years to the day he lost his life.
While he admits his involvement in the man’s death as being the get-away rider of the motorcycle used to commit the crime, Felix told investigators that it was his accomplice who was the shooter.
Though sentenced to 24 years, the offender will spend just about 12 years owing to deductions granted by the Court.
Following the presentation of a probation and other social impact reports at his sentencing-hearing on Tuesday, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall commenced the sentence at a base of 24 years.
From that base, the Judge made a one-third deduction for Felix’s guilty bringing the total to 18 years.
She then took a further three years off for mitigating circumstances; but then added one year because the offender has a previous conviction for larceny.
A sentence of 16 years remained following all the deductions, but Justice Morris-Ramlall has ordered that therefrom, the prison is to deduct the time the accused spent on remand awaiting trial.
Felix had been originally indicted for murder.
At his arraignment before the High Court last month, however, the accused pleaded to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
He denied the charge for the capital offence when it was read to him, but accepted the lesser offence which stated that he unlawfully killed Campos on Thursday, February 9th, 2020.
In her address to the court, prosecutor Rbina Christmas, had asked the Judge to consider the serious nature and prevalence of the offence; describing the victim’s death as “unprovoked, premeditated and senseless.”
She said that the father of two, whose children have been robbed of his love forever, was unarmed and posed no danger to his attackers.
Given the prevalence of unlawful killings, the prosecutor sought to remind the Court that the overriding objective of sentencing needed to act as a deterrent to potential offenders.
Felix was represented by defence attorney Teriq Mohamed.
Background
Campos, formerly of 321 East Street, Georgetown, was on his way to work at the Rossignol Butchery on Church Street, when at around 6:44 am he was shot three times about his body.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
The police had said that Campos was confronted by two men after he left his home around 6.30 am.
“…Whilst on the western parapet proceeding south on Cummings Street between Middle and Quamina streets, he was confronted by [two] suspects on a red and white XR motorcycle which came from the opposite direction.
During the confrontation the pillion rider discharged three rounds…. after which they fled the scene,” a police release had stated.
Anisley Diaz Hernandez, the dead man’s wife, had told Stabroek News that he worked at the Rossignol Butchery in Suriname for four years before they moved here two years ago and he began working at the company’s branch on Church Street.
His uncle had said that at the time of his death his nephew was carrying a haversack in which he had a work t-shirt and a support belt he wore at work to prevent back injuries. He also had his phone in his pocket.
Nothing was stolen from him.
Residents had told Stabroek News that they believed the men who killed Campos intended to rob him.
They had said that when confronted by the men, Campos refused to give up his bag and was shot as result.
