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Cop gets 31 years for 2007 killing
Kevin Waterman
Twenty-six-year-old Kevin Waterman who was charged back in 2007 for the murder of his paramour, Eleanor Jones, was yesterday sentenced to 31 years in prison after a probation report on the accused indicated that he was madly in love with the deceased, and murdered her in a passionate rage.
Justice Navindra Singh, who handed down the sentence at the High Court, told Waterman that love, and his disapproval of the lifestyle of the now dead woman, would never justify the crime of murder. The judge advised that if he couldn’t deal with it… he should have left. The Judge expressed disappointment at the probation which focused on the alleged promiscuous lifestyle led by the deceased.
Last month, Waterman pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when his case was called up. A probation report was ordered upon request of the accused lawyer, George Thomas. Yesterday, that report was provided from an agent of the Probation office.
It said that the accused had expressed remorse for his actions. He admitted to the probation officer that indeed he had the gun on the night in question, but that it was an accident when it went off. Most important, the officer said that the accused was suicidal.
The man had expressed disapproval at what was described as the promiscuous lifestyle of the deceased, especially with prominent members of the community.
The report said that Waterman had repeatedly pleaded to the deceased to change her ways, even seeking the intervention of family members and fellow work mates. The accused would even cut himself to plead with the deceased, but it was said that she paid him no mind.
Other than that, the probation officer said that everyone she interviewed, spoke well of the accused.
Thomas expanded on some of the points the officer made but lingered on the remorsefulness of his client. He said that Waterman was the victim of dire poverty and lack of love. He said the accused poured out his heart to the deceased and he was met with promiscuity.
His client, he said, did not waste the court’s time and concluded his submission with a request for minimum sentencing.
The prosecution however advocated for maximum punishment. Their general notion was that no matter the lifestyle of the deceased, the issue at hand was murder and no factor could justify the crime. State prosecutor Konyo Thompson especially asked the court not to forget that the deceased is not around to defend herself and the allegations being made against her.
Thompson also begged the court for a balanced judgment after asking that the ugly brush used to paint the deceased not be used in sentencing. She asked that Waterman’s sentencing be a deterrent to others before charging that every bullet that was pumped into the deceased was meant for her. The woman was shot once in the hand, two more times to the body, and another to the head.
Waterman in his last statement to the court said that he knew that he could never return the life he had taken. He said he could never take away the grief and pain the victim’s family feel, but he apologized to the family and friends of himself and the deceased.
Before handing down his sentence, the court said that some of the factors leading to sentencing were that Waterman was a policeman at the time, his victim was a police officer and that an illegal gun was used, which showed pre-mediation.
Some of the mitigating factors were that the accused was 21-years at the time, that he was remorseful and the conditions under which he was raised should be considered.
The accused was advised by the court that he will eventually be released; that he will get out of jail, but his time afterward should be used meaningfully as he would still have a chance to make a significant contribution to society.
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