Call for stiffer penalties for convicted murders

If the death penalty were carried out for persons convicted of murder, many persons would rethink taking a life.
Marissa Cyrus, the aunt of slain Malachi Cyrus expressed this opinion during an interview with SEARCHLIGHT on Monday while speaking about the death of her nephew.

“I think if it (death penalty) is implemented a lot of people would reconsider their actions and think before they do certain things and try to do things differently, because they would know the consequences of their actions,” a grieving Marissa told SEARCHLIGHT while staring at the area in Largo Height where her nephew was shot and killed at about 8 pm on Saturday, December 5.

Marissa is of the opinion that in many instances, the justice system does not give satisfaction to families affected by crimes.

“The system not really giving no sort of satisfaction to families when things like this happen.

“How many other people have died and what type of satisfaction have they given when they catch somebody?

“When you catch somebody for rape and all them types of things, what kind of satisfaction you giving the families?

Marissa questioned.

She said Malachi lived with her for most of his life and she took care of him from a baby and it is hurtful the way he died.

“He was my boy,” she said.

Malachi, 20, was shot multiple times in his upper torso while sitting on the block; in an area of the neighbourhood that he frequented.

That was the second shooting incident in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in about 16 hours.

The young man, who had just started a job as a data entry clerk at the Clear Harbor Call Centre, died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) after a gunman stretched his arm over a man Malachi was sitting next to and pumped several rounds into Malachi.

Malachi’s friend was said to have been so scared, that he did not even look up when the gunman’s arm was over his head with the deadly weapon.

Reggae artiste/musician Abuza Cyrus is Malachi’s father and he said on Monday that the state of the economy is playing a major role in frustrating persons, especially youths and sending them down a certain path.

He said his son was not a bad person and did not deserve to die that way.

Abuza said that a few months ago he listened to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves speaking in Parliament speaking about crime prevention methods.

“He mentioned stiffer penalties at the courts; he mentioned increased police patrols; he mentioned Pan Against Crime, and something else…

“…And in all honesty I really have to consider them man dey learned and thing, but you really trying to tell me that them man dey really don’t know if you carry down the cost of living crime will go down? Abuza commented.

He said there is no way that anyone, including the government, can force people into being good, so police patrols and stiffer penalties at the court is “just scare mongering”.

“You have to make people live good; carry down the VAT; make things easier for people and I guarantee you crime will go down, real talk,” Abuza said while adding that people are frustrated, “and doing all kinda stupidness.”

A man from the area was detained in relation to Malachi’s shooting but later released.

Malachi’s death is the 30th homicide in SVG for 2020.