Ex-cop gets life sentence for murdering reputed wife

Nov 04, 2022 News

– must serve 35 years before eligible for parole

Kaieteur News – Former police officer Jermaine Bristol was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2018 stabbing death of his reputed wife, Shanece Lawrence at their Lot 272 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown home.

Shanece Lawrence

Jermaine Bristol

The sentence was handed down by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court. Bristol, 38, was represented by attorney-at-law Everton Singh Lammy while Muntaz Ali represented the State.

Bristol had confessed to murdering Lawrence on August 22, 2018 at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown. Detectives found the woman’s body lying in a pool of blood with a black knife stuck in her neck.

Meanwhile, during the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Justice Kissoon in citing a number of cases said that the seriousness of the crime and the manner in which the 24-year-old woman met her death necessitated the life sentence. The judge also referenced the prevalence of domestic violence. In handing down his sentence, Justice Kissoon ordered that Bristol must serve a minimum of 35 years before being eligible for parole.