Accused murderer appears in court

Julius Joseph
Julius Joseph

A man accused of murdering a senior citizen in Castle Bruce made his first court appearance on Tuesday.

There, the charge of murder was read to Daniel Bannis, of the same community.

He is represented by lawyer Joshua Francis, who told the court he has information that  Bannis has “mental issues” and asked for treatment for him.

The magistrate said a note would be taken of the request.

Preliminary inquiry is set for  August 7, 2013 in Castle Bruce.

Bannis is accused of murdering 74-year-old Julius Joseph, better known as Edictor, who was found dead near his house.

The police say there were wounds to Joseph’s chest and back and he was pronounced dead on the scene by a district medical officer.

Bannis was taken into custody last Thursday.

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41 Comments

  1. Frabo
    May 27, 2013

    Is it OK if you say that you mad first, then commit the crime? or commit the crime first, then say you mad!!! mad like a DOG.

  2. al
    May 26, 2013

    To every name there is a story and a life.! None of you knew what pressures Daniel went through. You only saw the out come. All of you knew what the outcomes were.and you never tried to help his life.never showed love.never took the time Out but when things take a turn for the bad, you saying all kinds of things.Daniel ain’t the only person going through pressures. don’t you see that the young people are getting out of hand.things ain’t how they used to be.and as the old saying goes it takes a village to raise a child. Everyone in a village should be responsible for each other we have grown cold over the years.therefore the children has grown to be cold.when will we realize that what I do don’t affect just Me but the whole community.some of us are have done things and gotten away with it. Some of us still owe God an apology. so when you guys judging judge yourself first.and to the family of Mr editor I’m very sorry that it had to come to this. You lost a family and I lost a family. But as we look towards our lost!let’s try and remember in our hearts how God gave one that was so dear to him for us

  3. aj
    May 23, 2013

    Abusing drugs does not = mental illness. This killer is an addict.

  4. straight.
    May 22, 2013

    Mental mental my foot. He should at least consider his two lovely kids and estrange wife. he is nothing more than wicked.

  5. a mad lawyer
    May 22, 2013

    both of us mental

  6. balla
    May 22, 2013

    Dem lawyers have no dignity until they fall victim to the criminals

  7. yesrasta
    May 22, 2013

    ooooooooooooooo okkk…so them time dere when ppl kill ppl they mental. well best i kill certain ppl i dont like then claim i mental. If is so it is I IN DAT!!

  8. castle bruce
    May 22, 2013

    give me a break mental what and who the man is a silent killer and had many more innocent people to kill send the man back side in jail dont pass go and dont collect 200 dollars

  9. Castle Bruce
    May 22, 2013

    Was this his first murder? Did he confess to others ?

  10. City Girl
    May 22, 2013

    This boy has been suffering from Mental Illness for a while now. It is only sad that it was allowed to get to this point before something was done. Mental Illness is REAL!!!

  11. SORRY
    May 22, 2013

    There are different stages of mental illness some people can function with no problem but something just tick them of and they act out if he is mentally ill his family the community should have gotten help for before he committed this crime the health department don’t take mental ill patient seriously they wait until somebody loose their life to act for God sake treat these people there is so much that can be done to help them

  12. I am Dominica.
    May 22, 2013

    Well I dont have anything much to say about the alledged killer i dont know him. All i going say is, i hope they aprehend, prosecute and punish the person responsible for taking the life of a senor citizen who was in his prime, LOL!. Gacon Mr was full of jokes, He has children and grand children who reside in Newtown. He would usually come and visit for long periods of time to the point you could say he lived in Newtown. One of his favourite hang outs was at the domino table at the Newtown Fisheries Co operative. There, he was given the nick name Dowad, after he told a story of how he once caught a Dowad with his bare hands, LOL ! So in Newtown this is how we know him…DOWAD, We miss you in Chalottville, we miss your jokes, you used to bring love in de place a place where some maybe didnt even have a meal for the day, but you still manage to make them laugh. Condolences to the family, specially those in Newtown, we feel your pain, we know, we are there with you, hold de stain like Dowad used to say when he was pulling net by de bay. RIP Dowad.

  13. Dominican
    May 22, 2013

    Typical Criminal Defense them days…” I mad, i didn’t know what i was doing or did” most are a bunch of lies to beat a charge… Send them JAIL!!

  14. Justice and Truth
    May 22, 2013

    His last name is familiar. I know some people with that last name. Was one not a policeman in DA a long time ago and later promoted to a higher position in the Dominica Police Force? He may have since died; do not know for certain.
    This murderer confessed to other murders. Has he not yet spilled out the reason why he murdered the gentleman? Or did his legal counsel advise him to keep silent on it?
    Mental disorder? Then he should be examined by a psychiatrist. Is Dr. Benjamin still in DA? Let us hope he is not granted bail which may cause him to escape to another country where he has relatives. Do not come to Canada!!! There are enough criminals/murderers here.

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2013

      yes, Thomas Bannis

      • myrtle bannis
        March 25, 2021

        Yes, Thomas Bannis, was my father who long passed away in 2003 . He was an admirable man who never received the glory he deserved on this earth, but who will receive it in Heaven. He was father to 12 children and we lived in Goodwill. Let us not be the judge and jury, vengeance is mine sayeth the lord….

  15. Papamet
    May 21, 2013

    Only in dominica

  16. peace
    May 21, 2013

    He is NOT mentally ill. I know Daniel very well (unfortunately). He takes drugs, he has no respect for people or their possessions, he has wanted to kill for a long time, but he is just downright evil. Daniel is a good looking boy, he is very smart (ask his teachers) and he is an exceptionally good liar.

    I have now heard that poor Mr Joseph, who had the misfortune to live on the road that Daniel walked every day, had previously been beaten up twice by Daniel, had his personal stuff stolen many times, and Mr Joseph had been to the police a few times for help, but had not received any.

    This seems to me to be probably a case of Mr Joseph trying to defend himself against further robbery, and unfortunately he lost the fight against a younger, stronger man.

    I personally, am at a loss to explain why the police did not act before in taking Daniel into custody, (because his cousin is on the police force??) and why someone had to lose their life before action was taken. It now looks like Daniel has killed at least 2 or 3 other people.
    We need to be protected from people like this – let us hope he is sent to prison for along time.

  17. Mary h
    May 21, 2013

    mental people first try and kill their self before they seek to hurt other people so now he mental after he plan to killl an kill 3 more before him they need to exume the other bodies to find out the real cause there death what’s wrong with these desperate attorney down in Dominica they need to bring back hanging if I do a crime I should pay the price period.

    • Justice and Truth
      May 22, 2013

      That is not true. They do not usually kill themselves first. Crazy/mad people sometimes go about talking to themselves. There are times they hurt no one. A time may come when they will snap and harm others. I suppose there re different degrees of mental disorders. He appears to be a wicked person who should have been incarcerated a long time ago for the protection and safety of the people of Castle Bruce. It is sad that the gentleman lost his life through him.

      • Justice and Truth
        May 22, 2013

        :oops: ‘are’

  18. Melvina
    May 21, 2013

    Yes you not mental also? I see because you mad he also mad?

  19. Cza
    May 21, 2013

    Llooll Lie.. He not no mental. If only they knew ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  20. Justice
    May 21, 2013

    so its only the mentally ill who murder these days. Or they get mental after they do their crime. Excuses. Why would a mental person be bragging about murders he committed already.The time has come.You would not run for long.Let him face his time.

  21. CAH-C-BRUCE
    May 21, 2013

    From what I have been told this young man who I know quite well has confessed to killing two other individuals. in addition he recently is reported to have stolen his Grandfather’s gun and when it was found there was a note with the names of all the people he wanted to murder.

    It appears that this young man is a serial killer.

    • peace
      May 21, 2013

      He did steal his grandfathers gun – that is fact. Apparently, the police did not arrest him because “he did not have bullets for it”.
      I don’t know how much truth is in the fact that he has confessed to killing 3 other people, but apparently, that is what the police in the village are saying.
      I also know for a fact, he has set out to kill his mother and another female family member, and has stated he intends to kill his wife and grandfather.
      I do not know who else is on his list. He is very angry at the whole village – we could all be on it!

    • Justice and Truth
      May 22, 2013

      It is a serious crime to leave a a gun in a place where others could easily get it and use to harm/murder others. Dominica may not have this Law but it exists in Canada of all. If it is through negligence, the owner will be held accountable and charged, “For negligently storing the gun in an insecure place”. Guns are to be enclosed in a cabinet under lock and key. Only the owners in whose names the gun is registered to should have privy to them.
      AG DPP here is another one for you to enact into the DA Law.

  22. Sug
    May 21, 2013

    TOOO much mental people walking on the streets…. violent ones too… wii need to put them somewhere… somewhere where they don’t feel or look out cast (because i don’t think that they care…well cuz…they’re mental) and somewhere safe away from people with good thinking capacity…

  23. Anonymous
    May 21, 2013

    that’s how Dominicans are

  24. peter piper
    May 21, 2013

    Is just like a fella threaten his older sister over the weekend then sharpen his cutlass and passing it on the concrete of the family home,when she calls police,and explains the begin of the matter,they tell her call the urban council in that area.now what the ‘lawyer’ gonna state,he mental???GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK!

  25. C
    May 21, 2013

    yes he has mental issues but all people see is what those issues have lead to and not how they could have been avoided. he needs help and is a human being too and is loved as well…It is a sad situation all around

    • cbruce
      May 21, 2013

      I know him. His mental issues are caused by marijuana. If everyone who takes drugs gets away with crime because they have “mental issues” , then we are all in deep, deep trouble.

  26. srry n sad
    May 21, 2013

    its sad to kno this has happened….he has been acting like tht for a long time nw…….maybe a yr plus and i guess pl jus felt like he was a malicious person but hey we all r humans n we all have issues. ive none him for a few yrs and i kno what imtalkin about,my heart goes out to both families i cannot imagine hw ull r handling this, if im nt mistaken i think he was related to the man,like i said i think im nt sure…may mr.edictor soul rest in peace and i will keep bookah n is family in my prays.

  27. Really!
    May 21, 2013

    Suddenly he is mental. I would like to know why isn’t his picture posted and not that of Editor?

    His picture needs to be posted so all can see the criminal.

    He can commit murder, the victim’s picture can be posted so why not the criminal picture posted?

    RIP Editor. we will miss you greatly.

    • yesrasta
      May 22, 2013

      same thing i thinking. that country full of preference. Every man kill ppl they identity is a mystery. According the the US ppl “This country full of jokers” smh

  28. Reader
    May 21, 2013

    He won’t be the first to have his matter discontinued because of mental issues. But I for one would like to what his specific issues are. If he’s a sociopathy or a psychopath he should never be let out of jail – not even for a day.

  29. african queen
    May 21, 2013

    now he mental papamet just kill a man like that.

  30. sad
    May 21, 2013

    He mental? Where he mental? So wait people can just kill people innocently and then lawyers say they have metal disorder. What nonsense that?

    • Blessed
      May 21, 2013

      Interesting
      1. He mental
      2. He know he has to get a lawyer to defend
      3. And on top of that, what is the motive for killing this man.

      So what he trying to say he mental so dont convict him for killing a man. Interesting. Is seems to me that murders have a very good case “I mad” :?:

    • Ayeo
      May 21, 2013

      He is mental. It has been known for some time. many complaints have been made about his bizarre and often-times disturbing behaviour but it was never taken seriously enough. Its just sad it had to take my uncle’s death for people to consider giving him proper treatment/environment etc.

      • Sug
        May 21, 2013

        well i have to blame someone wii for still having a mental person on the streets….( A VIOLENT mental person too) something needs to be done!!!

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