‘I AM SORRY’

One of the foot soldiers in the shocking murder of politician Phillip Paulwell's infant daughter and her mother is hoping that Jamaicans will find it in their hearts to forgive him.

Toshyna Patterson, 27, and 10-month-old Sarayah Paulwell were abducted outside their St Andrew home on September 9. They were allegedly taken to east Kingston and shot and killed and their bodies burnt.

Richard Brown, 32, who had driven the actual killers and the victims to the murder scene, was yesterday sentenced to 30 years each on two counts of murder, which are to run concurrently.

Brown, who is to serve 20 years in prison before parole considerations, was also responsible for collecting $100,000 part payment from the alleged mastermind to deliver to the contract killers.

But following his sentencing in the Home Circuit Court yesterday, one of his lawyers, Rita Allen-Brown, shared a note in which Brown expressed remorse for his actions and begged for forgiveness.

“I just want to do the right thing. I want my lawyer to tell the family of the baby and mother and the Jamaican public that I am very sorry for the role I played in the loss of their lives.

“I hope and pray everyone will one day forgive me for my involvement,” Brown said in a very brief note in which he also asked his mentor for pardon.

Brown pleaded guilty in October.

His co-conspirator, Roshane Miller, who also pleaded guilty in October, was also sentenced yesterday.

He was slapped with seven years and 10 months each for two counts of accessory before the fact to murder; two years and 10 months each for two counts of conspiracy to kidnap; and one year and 10 months for misprision of felony.

His sentences will also run concurrently.

Although Miller pleaded guilty to participating in the planning of the murder, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), in a statement, said there was no evidentiary material that Miller was on the scene on the day of the kidnapping and murders or that he participated in the actual kidnapping and murders.

Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced under the Plea Negotiations and Agreements Act.

Paulwell's domestic partner, Leoda Bradshaw, the alleged mastermind, and her cousin, Roland Balfour, have also been charged in the matter and remain in custody. They are scheduled to return to court on December 1.

Bradshaw, a 34-year-old US Navy officer, was charged with two counts each of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to kidnapping.

Balfour was charged with two counts each of accessory before the fact to kidnapping and accessory before the fact to murder.

According to the allegations, on September 5, Bradshaw learnt of the child's existence and contacted Patterson via Facebook while introducing herself as the parliamentarian's wife.

During that exchange, she reportedly advised Patterson to conduct a paternity test, but following the conversation, the woman blocked her on the social media platform.

The following day, Bradshaw, who resides in the United States, reportedly arrived on the island on a mission to murder the woman and child.

With Balfour's help, Bradshaw reportedly contracted men to kidnap and murder the mother and daughter for $500,000.

Two days later, before 7 a.m., Bradshaw reportedly made several calls to Patterson with a view to luring her out of her home but was unsuccessful.

Based on evidential material, Bradshaw then showed up at Patterson's Gilmore Drive, Kingston 20, home at 7 a.m. in a tinted SUV.

Patterson and her baby entered the vehicle, where they remained for more than 15 minutes.

The vehicle then left the area, and the mother and child were taken to Stony Hill, where they were handed over to men who reportedly transported them to Wareika Hill.

Police officers later visited the crime scene and found dried bones and blood near the area where the two are believed to have been killed.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com