Acting Virgin Islands Attorney General Terri Griffiths announced Friday that Assistant Attorney General Eugene Connor, who recently joined the criminal division, won his first jury trial after a guilty verdict was handed down on a four-year-old case involving a gun crime.
According to information released from the Attorney General’s office, on Oct. 8, 2011, the victim was unloading groceries in front of his home at Paul M. Pearson Gardens with his children nearby when Oriel Destin pointed a gun at the victim’s head and robbed him of his wallet containing $900 cash and gold jewelry.
The jury trial was held on Feb. 17 and 18 before Judge Adam G. Christian.
After deliberating for less than an hour, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts, including second degree robbery, first degree assault, grand larceny, and using a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
The Attorney General’s office says the defendant is well known to law enforcement and has a prior felony assault conviction, making him eligible for sentencing as a habitual violent offender.
“The public overwhelmingly needs reassurance that we are serious about gun crimes in the Virgin Islands and I commend the jury for doing the right thing, putting their own fears aside and following the law,” Connor said.
Griffiths echoed Connor’s sentiment.
“This verdict sends a message that the justice system and the people in these islands will not tolerate this trend of senseless violence,” she said.
Griffiths also announced that former Judge James Carroll, will be heading the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, and former Civil Chief Carol Jacobs will join the department’s criminal division, specializing in asset forfeiture.
Tags: Acting Attorney General, attorney general us virgin islands
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