Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Denrick “Saddam” Jeffers

 

Charge:

Rape

Sentence:

10 years

Years Imprisoned:

3.25

Year Crime:

2011

Year Convicted:

2012

Year Cleared:

2015

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Saint Kitts and Nevis

County or Region of Crime:

City of Crime:

Sandy Point

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Denrick “Saddam” Jeffers was wrongly convicted of rape in July 2012 in Sandy Point, St. Kitts & Nevis. Both Jeffers and the complainant were public servants and the incident allegedly occurred in May 2011 at an office in Government Headquarters in Sandy Point. During his trial Jeffers testified that the complainant had called him to her office and they became intimate. He claimed after sex she became angry because he said he had to leave to go and meet up with his other girlfriend and so she threatened to cry rape. The complainant testified that she and Jeffers had ended their intimate relationship two months prior to the incident and he had come to her office on the day in question and forced sexual intercourse because he was upset she had a new boyfriend. After his conviction by the jury, Jeffers was sentenced to 10 years in prison.Jeffers appealed. On October 12, 2015 the Court of Appeals for St. Kitts & Nevis held its hearing in Jeffers case and after hearing arguments issues its oral judgment quashing Jeffers conviction. In announcing the appeals court's ruling, Justice Louise Blenman stated the case was one of whether or not the sex was consensual and therefore a matter of “he said/she said”. The lack of corroboration and circumstantial evidence meant the case “cried out for a very careful analysis of the evidence. Corroboration didn’t arise, circumstantial didn’t arise.” Justice Blenman also stated, "We are of the view that given the nature of this particular matter, given the circumstances of the matter before the trial judge…that the learned trial judge erred in his treatment of the defense of the appellant. Given the cumulative effect of all of the errors that were made by the learned trial judge, we are of the view that the safety of the conviction is seriously in question and we cannot uphold the conviction as returned by the jury. We are of the view that the appeal against conviction should be allowed and in the interest of justice … the interest of the case to the community, the interest of justice to the virtual complainant and also to the appellant, the correct order is not to order a re-trial …Accordingly the conviction is quashed and the sentence is set aside.”"

Conviction Caused By:

Innocence Proved By:

"On October 12, 2015 the Court of Appeals for St. Kitts & Nevis quashed Jeffers conviction and ordered his release from prison."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

33

Age When Released:

36

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"Saddam Freed: Rape Conviction Quashed By Court Of Appeal, By Easton, St. Kitts & Nevis Observer, October 19, 2015"

Information Location 1:

http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2015/10/19/saddam-freed-rape-conviction-quashed-by-court-of-appeal/

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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org

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