First Parker, now Shavez Musgrove FREED after Court of Appeal QUASHES CONVICTIONS and 25 year sentences

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

#TurksandCaicosIslands, February 29, 2024 – February 29th at around 9:30 a.m., the court of appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands convened via video link and delivered its judgement as it relates to multiple convictions of rapes, kidnappings, firearms offences and other charges in the case of ANDREW PARKER and SHAVEZ MUSGROVE.

The appeals were actually heard since October 19th, 2023, with ANDREW PARKER being released that same day because after the crown, then senior public prosecutor Ms. Mickia Mills heard the arguments of ANDREW Parker’s senior defense counsel Mrs Lara Maroof Misick she conceded to the appeal being allowed against PARKER, and acquittals entered on all counts. 

PARKER immediately walked free from October last year, leaving his co-appellant in prison, awaiting a decision, from the three appellate judges, in his matter before the Court.

Andrew Parker

Musgrove’s appeal was also heard on October 19th last year, but the Court needed time to consider the multiple interests of justice arguments put forward by human rights attorney Ms Sheena Mair on behalf of her client, Shavez MUSGROVE.

The then senior public prosecutor, Ms Mickia Mills, who is now the Turks and Caicos Islands, first Coroner, did put up a fight against MUSGROVE’S appeal but it was obvious she knew the human rights attorney – Sheena Mair – would present arguments as to the fairness of the trial which could have resulted in the conviction being overturned.  

It is what happened today, the conviction of Musgrove was overturned today, Thursday February 29th, 2024.

Magnetic Media was in court at the hearing of both appeals last year and it was clearly through the submissions of both senior attorneys on behalf of their clients, that the learned local trial Judge at the time, Mr. Carlos Simons, KC made countless serious errors that affected the fairness of the trial and rendered the convictions and 25 year sentences against both appellants, unsafe and unsatisfactory.

Shavez Musgrove

The Court of Appeal said, they have QUASHED the SHAVEZ MUSGROVE convictions and sentences on multiple grounds of unfairness submitted by Mrs. Sheena Mair and because of the passage of time this case has being running some seven years with some of the evidence exhibits being destroyed in a fire of the exhibit room at the police station, in the interest of justice, no retrial has been ordered.

MUSGROVE is hereby ordered released from prison.