Death Penalty Unlikely Says Lawyer

Attorney-At-Law Isat Buchanan is predicting that it is unlikely Rushane Barnett will be sentenced to death. Based on provisions made by the Privy Council and the global ramifications of such a sentence, he suspects that Barnett stands a chance at life in prison.

One could say the serving of a death penalty notice to Rushane Barnett in court on Tuesday is an indication of how appalling the director of public prosecutions finds the Clarendon quintuple murder. This has given rise to the question:  what’s the likelihood of the 23 year old being sentenced to death?

Buchanan says its next to none. While the law creates the capacity for the death sentence to be carried out, Privy Council criteria make it difficult. In the Trimingham case, it was outlined that the death penalty should be imposed in “the most extreme and exceptional”, “the worst of the worst”, or “the rarest of the rare” cases.

Reporter: Jhanielle Powell