The Privy Council has dismissed an appeal by two men convicted of a double murder in Barataria in 2004. In rejecting the duo’s application for leave to challenge their convictions, Lords Jonathan Mance, Jonathan Sumption and Anthony Hughes said there was no risk of a serious miscarriage of justice in their case. In February 2011, Garvin “Beam” Sookram and Keron “Bellies” Lopez were convicted for the murders of Kerwin “Richie Rich” Hinds and Kerwin “Ox” Cyrus.
The Appeal Court dismissed their appeal shortly afterwards, in April 2011. While they were on trial before Justice Joan Charles, it was the State’s case that on July 28, 2004, Hinds, Cyrus and their friend Sean Quamina went to Saw Mill Avenue, Barataria, to meet Sookram and Lopez. Quamina stayed in the car, while the four other walked into a track off Granado Street.
Quamima, who was made a state witness, testified that shortly after the men walked into the track, Sookram and Lopez drew guns and began shooting at Hinds and Cyrus. Before being shot, he said, Hinds drew a gun and returned fire. Quamina said he ran away and hid in a house until police arrived. He was sent to Brooklyn as part of his “witness protection” agreement, but he was murdered in his apartment in New York on February 1, 2010.