Two men who are challenging the constitutionality of mandatory minimum sentencing appeared before the Court of Appeal yesterday in hopes of being freed until their appeals are heard.
Anthony Armbrister and Andrew Davis were both sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to having relatively small amounts of drugs with intent to supply.
Parliament removed the discretion of magistrates in sentencing and imposed a sentencing range of four to seven years for the offense with effect from November 4, 2011. Persons convicted of the offense are no longer entitled to sentencing reductions for good behavior.
Armbrister was the first person caught under the amended law. Armbrister, who has penile cancer, pleaded guilty on November 11 to having 51 grams of cocaine that he planned to sell to pay his medical bills.
The magistrate was unable to give him any sentencing reductions for his guilty plea or because of his medical condition.
Davis pleaded guilty to having six ounces of marijuana, in two separate packages, that he claimed he planned to smoke with friends.
The bail hearings were adjourned until February 6 because lawyers for both men needed to provide the court with more information about their health problems.
Krysta Mason-Smith, who represents Davis, claimed that he has a variety of health problems, but she needed more time to get pertinent information from doctors about his condition.
Jomo Campbell said Armbrister had surgery at the Princess Margaret Hospital four days after his conviction, but he had not received medical records from the hospital.
Court President Anita Allen adjourned both matters to February 6.
By: Artesia Davis
Nassau Guardian Senior Reporter
