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Five years jail for hit-and-run death of Guyanese-born musician
New Jersey, US – Staring straight ahead, John Dineen fidgeted with a rosary bead behind his back as he was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday morning for a fatal hit-and-run.
Killed musician: Jermaine Forrester
At around midnight on July 15, 2010, Dineen was driving his 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser when he struck Jermaine Forrester as the man was crossing Route 139 in Jersey City.
Dineen then sped away, leaving Forrester, 33, of Queens dying on the pavement.
Forrester, a Guyanese-born Barbadian musician who opened for artists like Sean Paul and Ashanti, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dineen had three glasses of wine that night and had marijuana in his system, authorities said. A police officer pulled him over less than 30 minutes after the accident.
On Feb. 14 this year, Dineen pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision and failing to submit to a breathalyzer test.
Dineen’s defense attorney, John R. Schwartz, unsuccessfully argued for a probationary sentence in front of Judge Paul DePascale.
Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Michael D’Andrea told the judge that the State was already asking for a minimum sentence under the special request of Forrester’s mother, who was not present in court.
Schwartz had earlier read aloud a part of a letter that Forrester’s mother had addressed to the court, quoting “I do not believe putting Mr. Dineen in prison for his actions would do any good.”
D’Andrea insisted that while Forrester’s mother did not think a prison sentence was appropriate for Dineen, there was still a need to deter others in society from doing what Dineen had done.
Jermaine Forrester who came to prominence as a lead singer with the group ‘4play’ recently released a single titled “Gonna Be Alright”.
The handsome, young dynamic, singer was known by many as the “Caribbean Pop Artist to watch.” Born in Georgetown, Guyana, raised in Barbados and currently residing in New York City, Forrester was poised to spread his gale force musicianship and charisma throughout the US and the world.
His numerous credentials include hosting “The New Vibe” radio show on HOTT 95.3 FM in Barbados, where he played the music of local artists and aired entertaining skits, and the “Rock City” radio show on MIX 96.9 FM, where he played Top 40 music.
As a VJ for the weekly television show, “Riddim Express”, which was seen in 16 islands in the Caribbean, he aired music videos and interviewed several Caribbean artists.
Jailed: John Dineen
Forrester was no stranger to commercial work on radio and television and his voice stood out in numerous voiceovers and in-studio appearances. His sex appeal and vibrant personality placed him on magazine covers and in many news publications in the Caribbean.
He also has the distinction of being the featured artist on a Cable & Wireless endorsement, generating sales of 50,000 phone cards in just two days for the telecoms giant.
Jermaine Forrester had toured the UK with hip-hop star Busta Rhymes, gaining legions of fans for himself. He had also performed the opening act for artists such as Boyz II Men, James Ingram, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Carl Thomas, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Beres Hammond and Sean Paul. (http://www.nj.com)
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