A judge on Monday sentenced a man who killed a friend in an alleged preemptive strike to 45 years in prison.
Foster Knowles, 22, who shot an unarmed Omar Hanna nine times on March 9, 2011, did not speak during the brief sentencing hearing before Justice Indra Charles.
However, Hanna’s mother Astrid Bodie told the court the impact the brutal killing had on her family.
Bodie said the murder shattered their close-knit family. She asked the judge to show Knowles “the same mercy he showed my son when he shot him”.
According to testimony, Knowles told investigators that he learned a man whose car he had stolen had put an $800 contract on his head. There was no evidence to substantiate Knowles’ claim of the murder plot.
Knowles said he heard rumors that Hanna was going to set him up to be killed.
Knowles said he agreed to meet Hanna at Porky’s Gas Station on East Street South after Hanna kept calling him about some cocaine. Knowles said he took his gun with him as a precaution.
From the meeting point, Knowles followed Hanna to Bacardi Road, according to the evidence. They got out of their cars and began walking on a track road.
Knowles claimed that a man jumped from the bushes and he shot him. He alleged that Hanna told him “sorry” when he asked him, “What you dealing with?”
Knowles said he shot Hanna and closed his eyes as he kept his finger on the trigger. Police found the murder weapon when they arrested Knowles after a car chase on April 8, 2011.
Justice Charles said Knowles embarked on a life of crime from age nine when he began using marijuana.
After the deduction of the 18 months he spent on remand, Knowles has 43 years and six months remaining on his sentence.
He faces another murder trial for the April 8 shooting death of Dimitri Pratt at Sumner Street, Nassau Village.
Knowles could face the death penalty if convicted of Pratt’s murder.
Neil Brathwaite, the assistant director of legal affairs, prosecuted.
By Artesia Davis
Guardian Senior Reporter
