News
20 years not enough!
Parents of slain Sandside boy say killer’s sentence too light
Thursday, February 18, 2010
ANDRIA Folkes – the mother of 11-year-old Aamir Scott whose dismembered body was found in a rice bag at the foot of a tree in his hometown of Sandside, St Mary, in September 2008 – is devastated over the 20-year sentence given to her son's killer.
On Tuesday, the high court handed down the sentence to 17-year-old Prince Levy, who had confessed to strangling the child before severing his head, arms and legs.
For Folkes, the sentence does not fit the crime.
"Twenty years for a crime like that? Maybe he won't even do all of it. I am not doing very well at all," Folkes said.
If Levy serves all of his sentence, he will be 37 years old when he exits prison.
The thought that the killer will be able to start his life, and maybe raise a family, is way too painful for the Aamir's family to accept.
After his sentence was handed down, Levy reportedly sent an apology to Folkes, as well as Aamir's father and other relatives for his sordid act.
"He was my only child. The apology means nothing. I wanted to ask him what was he sorry for?" the mother questioned.
The story was the same for Aamir's father, Dwight Scott, who wondered why the confessed murderer was not slapped with a harsher sentence.
"This is a hard one to digest. It is not justified at all. He can start over his life but my child is gone forever," Scott said.
It was revealed in court that Levy had sent Aamir Scott to purchase a stick of marijuana and the child refused. A wrestling match ensued and Levy confessed to strangling the child.
He also told police investigators the exact spot where the body was dumped.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Gloria Smith said the court took into consideration the fact that Levy committed the crime when he was a minor and that he pleaded guilty and never wasted the court's time.
Levy has been in jail for more than a year.
Aamir's relatives, in the meantime, also believe that more persons were involved in the macabre act. Scott said his son's killer had confessed that after the child was strangled another man dismembered the body.
"We have been advised that we can write to the attorney general and the governor general and see if they can order a reopening of the case and we intend to do just that. What happened today is not justice," the grieving father told the Observer.
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2/18/2010
Ms. Folkes, I feel your pain. Pleaee write to the attorney general and the governor general as advised and see if they can reopen the case.
.
2/18/2010
This is very sad for both families. Rest in peace little one.
2/18/2010
This is beyond belief. Consideration was given to this animal because he didn't waste the court's time? He killed a little 11 year old boy! Minor or not, this murderer is a beast, and probably will do another hideous crime when he gets out at only 37 years old.
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