Mabel Reid, a notorious city vagrant, has been warned not to set up her house at the front of a courtroom at the Roseau Magistrate’s Court.
Reid was charged with being a public nuisance on January 28, 2010 after she deposited her personal belongings outside one of the courtrooms.
She pleaded guilty to the charge and was admonished by Chief Magistrate Evelina Baptiste. The magistrate ordered a psychological evaluation on the woman which will be carried out at the Acute Psychiatric Unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital.
Asked whether she should be sentenced to jail, the woman responded ‘no’.
“But you were a nuisance,” Magistrate Baptiste stated, prompting the vagrant woman to assure her that she would behave herself.
“What you think if someone came to your home and just put all their things there and just don’t want to leave? … I’ll send you to the doctor first because a person in their right mind wouldn’t just come and live there,” Magistrate Baptiste charged.
According to Reid, she has nowhere to live. She told the court that she is 51-years-old, but contradicted that statement by adding that she was born in 1963.
Baptiste advised her that she should have informed the Social Welfare Department of her condition, and they would have assisted in finding somewhere for her to live.
“You’re not to go back in front of the court. If you do I will send you to prison … there looks bad because you have all your personal possessions there. Jurors are passing there, clerks are passing there …” Baptiste added.
When Reid was asked where her belongings were now, she said they were by the road. “They are not to go back there,” Baptiste warned.
Reid is set to re-appear in court on February 18.
thats the thing with Dominicans they look at things one way, and argue with no points, everybody is against the judge. she didnt sentence her to jail, she didnt fine her, she sent her to a hospital. if she’s really sick then she will get some help……i mean come on….
If my mind serves me rite and believe thats the person the magistrate is talking about i am not please. cause i have known mable for all my life and she wan;nt kind of person .mable was and is an educated person but u know curcomstances in life can cause things to happen to u.i dont believe if mable had her good scences she would not be living that way .where is her father house on cork street ?thats where i know she use to be living ,after w while she use to be at the front of the post ofice with this other guy playing mad but i know she is not normal in her head so i find that ms baptiste is waisting the courts time to ask her to come back onthe 18th of feb she will not remember that .
Every body know mable will not stay at the grotto so wat they need to do is send her to the phycatric unit for an evaluation and get treated .
thats my take on that not prison, sending her to the prison will not cure the bobo.
@ Q, everyone having business with the court has to be SUMMONED! so YES Mabel will remember to come to court because the bailiff will serve her notice, and since she camps outside of the court house at nights with all her trash i suppose they will not have a hard time finding her.
I do not think most of you understand what the problem is since you are attacking the magistrate… Mabel sleeps outside the courthouse everynight and carries all her belongings with her there. On weekends it is the worst, its like she is camping out there and having a bon temp. How is it that she knows to carry her stuff out during the day? I am not being cruel to her because she is homeless, but come on people that is the best place she could find to go? She has been homeless for years but only recently started camping outside the court house…I was there as a juror recently and it is was very uncomfortable being there because of the stench that was there…..imagine that!
@ 100% Dominica..I totally agree that this is a waste of time, but also a waste of Dominican tax money. If Mabel is infront of the courthouse too often, ask her what is the prob. I mean have we lost our touch of community spirit because we become “educated”? Has our sensitivity gone out of the door because we had attained a new social seat? I mean, give me a break. What is going on in Dominica…too much 3-kin time we have then.
When we had the ridiculous situation with stray dogs roaming and messing everywhere in Roseau, Consultants from all over the place were called in for advice to help solve the ‘problem’, yet human beings it seems do not deserve the same consideration. People talk about how bad it is for tourists to see this horror when they visit Dominica but its bad full stop, what about us who live here it is pitiful to see some of these people who are clearly suffering from mental issues roaming up and down Roseau – no hope, no life!
What about the children, increasingly they are roaming the streets, sitting outside the supermarkets – where are welfare, social services, police, teachers. There has to be some intervention as it is clear their parents cannot, or will not take responsibility for these children. If something is not done now, we are looking at tomorrow’s ‘Mabels’.
Like Q in his/her comments, I am wondering how Mabel is going to suddenly realise that it is Feb.18 and she has to be in Court – perhaps she will be setting an alarm on her Blackberry!!
So what you all are saying is that because Mabel is homeless, she should be allowed to leave all her trasho n the doorstep of the Court house? It is unsightly to pass by the court house and see all the dirty clothes, pots, pans and other nonsesense…puhleasseeee! I am happy that she has been cautioned, that is just nonsense..sperm whale you should take her in your home with all your trash….
I can’t believe dominicans are supporting such harsh treatments. Inspite of what ever this is a human being we are talking about. This woman needs help, and that is part of the government’s job to help the citizens not ill treat them because of their conditions. Mabel has a mental problem so i don’t expect that she will stay in the grotto that is not the institue for her. I remember cecil Joseph had burnt the parros clothes from under the bridge so that should be part of his duty to help people like mabel.
The stop treating certain people like they are animals…. they are human being like us all with either mental problems or stressed to a point where they cant return to normal on teir own..
The government are helping the hatians and even bringing these people into our country but what about those of us that are here suffering??? homeless, hungry, broke??? I take a look at a spot in roseau “pound” right underneath the financial building, it looks bad and we are talking about housing hatians.
Consider dominicans because it is us who make dominica, whether poor, rich, mental, drug addicted ect. its time that our government look into other things than just road projects. There are alot of people who need counceling, a good place to rest, at least a meal a day… Yes i sympathize with the Hatians but they are not entirely satisfied with what some poeple down here in dominica wish they had…
I am disappointed at the magistrate, how can she take the lady and bring her in front of the court when as a professional she should know who she has to call to deal with that matter. What a shame and moreover there should be institutions to house Mabel.
So true! These judges in Dominica needs to be re-evaluated. It sad that this mabel lady has been mental for so many years and in 2010 she might be a prisoner? What about those criminals walking the streets of Roseau? for ATTEMPTED MURDER? RAPE? MOLESTATION? FRAUD? DRUG TRAFFICING? And the list goes on an on.
Mabel will not live at Grotto,she is tired of running from there like Gravity and others.All they do is come for food and then leave,I know that too well.
this is a serious matter.the government need to look at the effect this is having on the image of the country.these people need to be in a institution.designed to rehabilitate them.surely thats not good for tourism.all paro,all vagrant,all mad people please take them off the streets of the capital .they are crying out for help
Boy that Judge is something else….I see mable live and direct bathing in a standpipe tootooni directly opposite de ministry on more than one occaision, she always exposing tay tay and belly in Roseau. Practically de whole of Dominica, especially de officials in the Ministry know for certain that Mable doh have good head. The judge shouldn’t waste tax payers money like that, they should simply call grotto to come and pick up mable, I don’t know eh boy, our judicial system is absolute crap….I dunno how a judge can reasonably decide to try a case like that….even trying to reason with mable…stupes.
BUILD INSTITUTIONS TO HOUSE THESE PEOPLE.
BUILD INSTITUTIONS TO HOUSE THESE PEOPLE
TAKE THEM OFF THE STREETS IF YOU CONSIDER THEM TO BE A NUISANCE
I AM CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT AND THOSE WITH FINANCIAL POWER HELP MAKE THE STREETS CLEAN BY HOUSING THESE PEOPLE.
THEY ARE AFTER ALL HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE HELPLESS AND NEEDS OUR HELP
PLEASE PLEASE HELP THESE PEOPLE WITH HOUSUNG AND CARE GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.
I totally support you Jan Bors, and especially agree with Shay and Valda, they pretending is now they seeing Mabel being nuisance in the public. Police Officers and other law abiding citizens, passing Mabel every day barely clothed and sometimes even stooping anywhere in Roseau to urinate. They just turn a blind eye. This woman was resident opposite of Caprice Hair Salon, (near Government Headquarters) on the balcony of a building which was once used as a government office and none of them have seen her, only ME. Is about time we deal with these vagrants in town and their population is growing and their behavior becoming even more disturbing. We need an institution for these people.
What brain power Magistrate Baptiste pick on the little and sick person in society. I am from Roseau Central born there and raised. I have know this woman my whole life around Roseau. there are murderers who you all st free everyday but a woman who can’t better defend her because she is mentally incompetent is being harassed by the judicial system in Dominica. I hope all you will speak with the accused Linden Lestrade like that when he walk up in yoour cour iving you some lame excused why he shot the person child in his head! Thats DA you know. Just pick on the little guy those that are helpless. If judge behazin so tough on crime why Lestrade case not being tried in his courtroom. Wicked all you wicked. I keeping Dominicans as far as I can throw them!
YOU WOULD THINK THAT THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT.
it is really nonsense the lady don’t have good head, do u think is that mable want for her life, do u think mis baptist that mable will remember February 18 to come back to you this is more crazy than mable to think so and do u think that anyone in welfare will even look at mable or security will even listen to her to let her pass to see an officer that again is crazy, i think miss magistrate should recommend a place for the lady and stop wasting government time and help the crazy lady PLAZZZZ.
Q.
concern
This lady needs to see a physcaratric doctor,what’s happening in dominica. The magistrate needs to send this lady for treatment.
So, all of a sudden this a problem “to be taken serious” because the lady has the audacity to park herself in front of the judicial temple!? Where are the police , the prosecutor and other legal bigwigs when other “disturbed” people are exposing themselves – or worse still defecating and masturbating in public and complaints form the ordinary citizens and visitors fall on deaf ears? Where is the mayor of of our fair city? It will not do to wring hands, play Pontius Pilate and relegate responsibility onto these people’s families.This is a Roseau issue, dear mayor and if you don’t want the responsibility make way for someone else willing and able to tackle this problem. Instead of sweeping this away from the front of the court building into someone else’s “jurisdiction” let’s put our heads together to make provision for these poor creatures, who, by the very ruling today, also constitute a nuisance. I for one, am willing to put my hand into my pocket to make this a reality.
nonesence. dat woman on d road for how long is now d judge seeing her laying infront of places? but everything happens for a reason so it might be in her favor it working. when d magistrate finally find out she not in her right mind (since he/she playing like the just move DA) she might end up in an institute where she will get food and a place to sleep. lets see if we will get updates on feb. 18
common man a paro alu charging?? who for alu to charge alu not charging them.** man
BUT WAIT WHERE THE JUDGE LIVING NAH ALL DOG AND CAT KNOW MABEL PLENTY BRANCHES SHORT TO MAKE A WHOLE TREE. SO A PERSON WOULD JUST WALK AROUND NAKED ALL THESE YEARS FOR SHOW THEN . ANYWAY MABEL GO GROTTO ANN WILL CHECK YOU HEAVY SHE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES.