The Court of Appeal has quashed the murder convictions and sentences of Dantay Brooks, son of dancehall entertainer David ‘Mavado’ Brooks, and his co-accused, Andre Hinds.

The decision was handed down on Friday morning.

“We respect the judicial process at all levels and are pleased that the Court of Appeal has ruled in our favor. This decision reaffirms the merits of our case and underscores the important legal principles at stake,” Tamika Harris, one of the attorneys-at-law who represented Brooks during the initial trial, told Observer Online in a statement.

The court heard the appeal on December 10 and 11 last year and later reserved judgment.

“While the journey through the courts has been challenging, I remained hopeful. I appreciate the Court of Appeal’s careful consideration of the matter and its ruling. We remain dedicated to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that our client’s rights and interests are fully protected,” Harris said.

Attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman represented Brooks during the appeal. Prominent attorneys Peter Champagne, Oswest Senior-Smith and Harris had represented Brooks during the initial murder trial.

In 2021, then 18-year-old Brooks was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2018 killing of Lorenzo Thomas in Cassava Piece, St Andrew.

Thomas was shot, beheaded and his body set ablaze.

Brooks was ordered to serve 22 years before becoming eligible for parole. Hinds was also sentenced to life imprisonment. He was ordered to serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole. Both were also sentenced to 15 years behind bars for arson.

Attorney Oswest Senior-Smith, who represented Hinds at the appeal, said verdicts of acquittal were entered for both men on Friday. He reserved comment on the case until the written decision had been published and disseminated.

“I want to read and digest it properly first before commenting,” Senior-Smith told Observer Online.

“I know that certain grounds were common to both appelants as it pertains to the directions that the trial judge gave and the credibility of the witness. I would like to see the written decision first so I can comment in a more informed way. Kudos to the team, a lot of hard work went into the process,” he said.

Senior-Smith and Kemar Robinson represented Hinds at the appeal.

Senior-Smith said there were several grounds of appeal, including on the evidence of visual and voice identification.

– Claude Mills