PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Michael-Angelo Labega aka “Gucci” was sentenced on Wednesday, June 1, by the Joint Court of Justice to 8 years in jail for attempted manslaughter.
On the night of June 10, 2013 he kicked down the door of Keniel McKenzie’s house, shot him from up close in the head and neck, and then took a sum of money. For this he had already been sentenced in 2014, by the Court of First Instance to 8 years in prison for attempted manslaughter.
However, M.-A. L. lodged an appeal against this verdict. In the appeal, the Joint Court of Justice didn’t find attempted manslaughter proven, annulled the verdict in first instance, and sentenced M.-A. L. to 6 years in prison for armed robbery.
The Prosecutor’s Office took the case to the Supreme Court in 2015, and the Supreme Court annulled the ruling of the Joint Court of Justice. The case was also sent back for trial by the Joint Court of Justice.
The Solicitor General pleaded for a jail sentence of 8 years for attempted manslaughter. On Wednesday, June 1, the Joint Court of Justice, in its new ruling in the case sentenced M.-A. L. in accordance with the demand made by the Solicitor General.
