A 25-year-old Marigot resident has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Dean Davis, who was originally charged for murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the High Court in Roseau for the death of Ashton “Gold Teeth” Gibbons.
The accused who was 23 at the time of the incident, had an argument with the deceased at a garage in Marigot.
According to Davis, at about 9:30 July 9th, 2010, the deceased approached him while driving his Suzuki jeep accusing him of stealing one cross over, an amplifier and three twitters, while the accused alleged that the deceased had broken into his house and stole one swiper and two cell phones.
The court heard that the accused then approached the deceased who was still sitting in his jeep and stabbed him six times.
Gibbons sustained stab wounds to his chest, leg, groin and other areas of his body, and is reported to have died on the spot.
Davis told officers that Gibbons had threatened him.
He said “I was afraid of him because I hear he have guns. So I chook him with a knife I have, then I go and wash my hand because I got cut and I left and go away.”
His attorney Bernadette Lambert urged the court to temper justice with mercy and give her client a short sentence.
She indicated that Davis was a first time offender, remorseful and told the court that he was carrying a knife in his pocket because he was a farmer and had just come from his farm.
She also suggested to the court that Davis was a young man and should therefore be given a chance at rehabilitation.
Justice Brian Cottle told the defendant that in passing his sentence he had to take into consideration all the principles of sentencing which included prevention, deterrence and rehabilitation.
He warned the accused that he was given a chance and urged him to avoid reappearing in the court again after he had served his term.
Im very ashamed of calling dominica home or promoting it as a vacation spot.. Dominica is becoming or has become a lawless nation where criminals get minimum sentences and petty thieves get the maximum… I think its time that the skerrit administration investigate these ridiculous judges who hand out these rulings.. In my opinion these judges area pathetic individuals who also have no regard for the law of the land and should be removed from the bench immediately… Until criminals are made to payment for their crimes , young people will continue to commit crimes.. I plead with the government to investigate these judges and I call on every right thinking dominican to put pressure on the government until these judges are investigated or disbarred….
so killing and getting away with it is the new style . hmmmm all that saying to the young people is kill and dont worry about that.
so is it lock dean has like that to be killing and getting away with it so.ok this boy is a monster and its time that u all terminate him he will DO IT AGIN .
frist time offender were is his brother oh plz
his brother wasn’t a human being.
I justvex iczh even talk!!!! Now de police never even budge when dey report de lil murderer u know. Is bi election they were concerned about. Jah boy
omg It was so glearing in the court that one can see the body language and heared the tone of the voices of the juriers that thy all did not ageeed with answering yes to man slaughter. this man is a cold blooded murderer and it is not the first time, on that same day he pulled that same knife on another boy the matter was repoted to the Marigot Police station, if the officer had done their work Ashton Gibbons would have been alive.This was not all the the vehicle he claimes to be helping with was the policemans, personel vehicle, the other man is the officer relative. the officer was at the garage he saw the man with the knifethe officer then leave the garage for a short period. Dean also leave the garage and went to a near by shop . while ashton was on is way to the other garage Jackie call Ashton and while talking tojackie Dean appear and stared stabbing Gold teeth several times while he was still sitting in his mothers,vehicle. this is cold blooded murder. the justice system in this country is a disgrace to the legal profession. Gold teeth a computre techniction air condition techniction refrigerator amini bus driver apart time mechanic and a husband and father after stealing the mans equiptment from his busDean turn back and murder him and the law is giving this man 9y God have mercy.to the parent who tells lies for their children and knowing fully well your same child pull a cutlass on you and you had to run from your own home and you continue lelling lies on yet a second murder first your own child well my sister god will deal with you and all those who condole wrong the entire village knows the truth. ,
What ratted farmer and he had de same knife trying to kill someone else hours before.
Nine years for murder? No wonder these guys commit crimes without any fear of the law. This is just too lenient.
Well yes!!!! Dean Davis is once again being let off the hook. This is the SECOND time he has killed and he will be out in a few years to MURDER someone again. You don’t let ppl like that walk with the innocents on the street. Regardless of what people have portrayed about Ashton, he was a good person…he was my brother and my friend…he had his good side and bad side like everyone else; but he did not deserved to die that way. No one should determine when a person should leave this world and for this lawyer to be asking the judge for leniency in sucj a delecate matter is a load of bull. Dean Davis has killed his own brother….who was Ashton for him not to kill? Where is the justice in that? i feel very sorry for the family and friends. For all the people of Marigot who signed petitions for Dean to be let go, I just hope that you al did the right thing. God doesnt sleep..he will find a way to right the wrong that was done and Dominica’s justice system needs to get it together.
R.I.P ASHTON…..WE MISS U & U R NOT FORGOTTEN
Boy DNO I am starting to wonder if its the way you state the facts in these articles that confuses me or am left to say that our justice system should be played daily on Cartoon Network because its becoming hilarious. Chuppss
Who is this Justice Cottle? If he is not Dominican then they need to get him out. He is sending the wrong message to murderers. Sometimes you have the read between the lines. We live in such a corrupted society, again, is who you know. Open your eyes and see what’s happening and demand change. Put Benhazin back in!
i agree with yr post
Bemhazin was a judge. That’s who dominica needs on the bench.. Not these pathetic judges who have no conscience or even the slightest idea about law.. I wonder where they whoever they are got their law degree ….
This is UTTER RUBBISH. You stabbed Ashton in cold blood because you knew you stole his belongings. So after he wrong he still getting a light sentence because he is a first offender. WHAT DOES THE MULTITUDE OF OFFENCES HAVE TO DO WITH MURDER. HE KILLED HIM. No justice in this country
I will forever miss you baby and know you are in a better place. God will deal with the evil for you
First of all, I wonder if I am actually surprised by the sentencing. I am from marigot. I went to the scene of the murder and saw the deceased. I knew him very well and I am hurt for his family. I am not sure if I want to blame the judge, the blame must first go to the police at the marigot branch. There was a witness to the murder, the owner of the garage. It was the owner of the garage who was transporting mr Davis around the village to look for mr Gibbons. It was also the owner of the garage who called Mr Gibbons to his garage while he was on his way to Moses garage to fix his mother’s vehicle. Mr gibbons was not stabbed 6 times. He was stabbed 13 times, all over from his chest, to his groin to his leg. Mr Davis is not a first time offender, he murdered his own brother five years before on the exact day July 9. The police at the marigot branch are heartless creatures, they messed with the evidence. They refused to make mention of the witness that was there because he is a relative of a long serving officer. This is unfair. But I know that GOD does not sleep. The cries of the family is heard by him, The cry of Mr Gibbons 3yr old daughter is heard. And GOD will give them justice. Nobody is perfect, and everyone is liable to make mistakes, but when you have killed two people I dont believe its a mistake. When you can kill your own brother, I dont see the mistake. Soon he will be out and might kill someone else on that same day July 9 (GOD FORBID) maybe the 3rd time will do the trick and the people that are suppose to be enforcing the law will realize that this man is a heartless, cold blooded murderer. I am still searching online for the rehabilitation center that is available in Dominica to rehabilitate this young man. SMDH…Many have cried and the tears of the broken hearted people will fall not only upon Dean Davis but upon all his supporters, especially the NON EXISTING Justice System in Dominica. GOD HAVE MERCY!!
OMG! that is so painful for nurse Gibbons and her family. My prayers go out to them for strength. Tell me what to expect when a man killed his brother before and walked free and now he murdered my friend in cold blood. 9 years alas! our justice system failed us too many times. God Dominica cries out for help.
Weh papa! So that is the kinda justice we have in this country???? Man killing man and that is the kinda sentencing the get?? Both doing drugs and murder are wrong but what i CAN’T understand is how can some attempt to kill or kill somebody and get bail and minimum punishment and somebody they caught with drugs don’t get bail and gets how much years imprisonment or even lifetime????????????? I don’t get it. SMH.
Taking a life is a cruel thing, that creates such pain for families and doing drugs is just money them pple want to live big.
I believe they need to review our laws in this country or else hmmmm
so he accused you of stealing “one crossover,one amplifier,and one twitter” and you accused him of stealing your “two cell phones and a swiper” and you somehow justified in your mind that the best way to handle the matter is to STAB HIM TO DEATH IN HIS VEHICLE-STAB HIM 1 2 3 4 5 6 TIMES?????!!! you dont deserve 9 years: you deserve 9 x 99!!!
is there any one in dominica that can change these laws? and if there are why are not htis laws changed?
God is in control. Justice will be served.To all Ashton family & friends hold on strong. “Dean is a first time offender & he is young?” Ok.It’s God’s world and not man world. Get down on our knees and prayer
Dominica has become a lawless Island, and they want Dominicans, to return home for what? we don’t obey the laws of GOD, when some one take a life his should be taken, do exactly what GOD says.
huh 8-O…
so you mean to tell me if someone threatening my life and i end up killing them to secure my life i should be killed just the same. Some of you all say things and i wonder if it comes from the heart or you are just speaking because the person involved is not someone you care about and love. If it was a member of your family i wonder if you would have wanted them dead. you’d plead for their life to be spared. smh….
That’s not my saying it’s GOD’s, Holy Word (GENESIS 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of GOD made man.) Take it up with GOD, that’s your problem until it reaches home one day, you will find out how the grieving family feels.
Having taken my time and read the story here on DNO , I’m so puzzled and i am bewildered to the core . How could this murderer get only 9 years for murder ? The young man stabbed the deceased over 5 times , then proceeded to wash his bloody hands then walked away leaving the man to die …… Oh lord ,is that justice to the deceased family ? Is that right ? If the accused was remorseful as he claims ,why didn’t he at least call the ambulance to take the decease to the hospital ? I believe that he deliberately killed Gibbons and he was angry and bitter at him . I am so …. Disappointed in our justice system . This is the third murder case that has shocked me ( nurse Dyrample’s son , the male nurse from jimmit and now this one ) ……… What a shame ! It would seem that drug offenders are receiving Longer and harsher punishments than murderers . Almost each week a ” murderer ” is winning a case or is receiving a ” relaxing ” sentence . Something is seriously wrong with our legal / justice system . Lord , save your people !
First time offender???? He was in jail for killing his brother!!!!
This is why the murder rate is increasing in Dominica. Continue giving murderes slaps on the wrists and it will be your son, daughter or mother they kill when they get out of jail in 5 years!
Forward never, backward ever… Dominica political system backward, their justice system backward, every frigging ting backward. We need an intervention quick… Rediculousness!
This is a joke right? 9yrs for killing, only in Dominica.
He got nine years for taking one’s life he has to live with being a murderer for the rest of his life. He is also living with blood on his hands.
That’s a bad baggage to live with thats not good.
The worst of it all is that he only have to serve two and a half years, when you take into consideration the time he spent on remand, shame! Shame! The world is laughing at this joke country!
Another example of the DPP conceeding a case when on the weight of the evidence he does not have too. I watched him trying to explain away his action when Behanzin put him under pressure last month with the example of cases where the DPP conceded when he had the evidence to convict for murder. The DPP is well past his retirement age, he needs to go as his performance is unjustified, he has failed to protect the public from these sickening crimes due to his limitation!
I know lawyers are paid so they say whatever they want to try to free their client but is Ms. Bernadette Lambert serious? He was carrying a knife because he is a farmer and had just come from his farm?
Ms. Lambert, do not insult the hardworking farmers of this land! REAL farmers go to their farms (and likewise return to their homes) with cutlasses and hoes not knives. They don’t go to peel mango, they go to till the land.
well carib lawyer you know better come represent.
i so agree. then she have the guts to talk about rehabilitaion? tell me one place in Dominica that they get rehab after coming off jail for murder. But i tell u, this is not the first we have heard of him and i dont believe it will be the last.
Don’t worry the Lord said vengance is mine…he will definitely repay…don’t worry about those 9 years he will get….his reward is coming….sooner than you all think
Thats why we have some police not doing anything bcuz it makes no sense.officers in this country should report dead or sick in protest of their hard work its a blasted joke now.dominicans afraid to talk man..whats really going on nah with us.
Anything you tell the judge she believes.all you have to do is plead guilty and give a story and you will be okay..nonsense..im so pissed right now im gonna protest sentencing by this petty judge..no one is talking about it..
Are you kidding me judge.the judge is using the comments on this site to sentenced individuals..no one is talking about the sentencing..its sickening..The police n prosecuters can only present the case and the judge has to do the right thing and sentenced the accused..it would be best to try all matters at the magistrate court bcuz it makes no sense at all..shame on the sentencing n this judge should report dead for the rest of the year,its a damn joke..
The justice system in Dominica stinks. That was clearly premeditated murder. He watched the man sleeping and committed the act then he gets a slap on the wrist for doing that. those lawyers more wicked!!!!!
wait a man in the us get 45 years for atemted murder and in da is 9 for murder wow some thing wrong some where
I think you get a discount for committing a second murder. Maybe I rung.
This is madness… someone attacks someone first because they are afraid of being attack and gets 9 years for manslaughter… THis is something else…. in what 4 1/2 this person will be free to roam the streets and his victim in a grave. His victim family has to live with that…. SMH
Jesus help these judges in this dear land how on earth can a case like this end up being man slaughter the man died on the spot.A judges giving a cat blanche to would murders that its ok to kill. 9 years for taking a mans life? u got to be kidding me in this land with no law and order
Give me a break. This court system encourages more crimes. One day i want it to be a lawyer or judge son or daughter let us see how the handle the matter. stupessssssssssssssssssssss
That is just pure nonsense! First time offender? 9 years for cold blooded murder? These so call lawyers just as guilty as those they defending.
D/ca justice system is a joke!!!!
R.I.P Ashi….gone but never forgotten.
God does not sleep. He is the ultimate judge. One of these good days the family will get justice. While Ashton was alive he never got justice and in his death he still didn’t get justice. God does not sleep. Vengenence is the Lord and we will get our justice one of these days. Dominica, I am not surprise. Your justice system is sick, very, very, very., very sick. Lord have mercy on our judges and lawyers, they need a lot of help to discern right from wrong. One of these days Lord, one of these good days, you will give us our justice. In the mean the time, we will forgive but we will not forget the injustice done to our family. One of these days, every man will answer for all the evil that they have done. RIP Goldteeth. RIP.
Prosecutors again being too lazy to do the work they are being paid to do. Do they even know the meaning of manslaughter? Was all the evidence collected and presented to the court? DA justice system is just a joke.
The judicial system in Dominica is pregnant with flaws and the people need deliverance from it! Do we reside in a society where one man’s life is worth more than another? I am certain that if the deceased was the son or daughter of a government official then the convicted would not see the light of day. Furthermore, even capital punishment might have been reviewed for a crime with intent and no apparent remorse. The road that Dominica traveling on with its Judicial, Legislative and Executive branches is destined for chaos! The people need to be reminded that the power for change is in our hands! If not situations like these will just serve as impetus for individuals who want to kill their fellowmen…soon it will be said “I’ll just do my nine years..” Dominicans wake up!!
i cant agree with you more..its a joke and the prosecution should challenge the sentencing..whats is wrong with us..alas’
where is the justice for people who abide by the law.whats hurt me more he stole and kill from the same individual .the bible is right a thief is really a killer..We have No justice here
Geez, is our Justice System serious?
This is sickening,how on earth can someone take anothers life & only gets 9yrs in prison am sure within 4yrs he will walk free.Am yet to understand what is happening with the law & murder in this place.I can’t read anymore of these cold blooded murdererswalking free.looks to me marijuana is dealt with more harshly than murder in dominica.
murderer is even too good to call dean from his brother to ashton an who knows who he has next on his list once a murderer always a murderer
people will prefer to kill than sell drugs these days cause they getting less years for murder
dominica law unfare an something needs to be done . the law giving people the licence to kill
This justice system is sooo sorry…. This is not the young mans first offense he killed his brother couple years ago over a simple argument….he is scold blooded murderer and there is no question about it…. Listen to his words he say I fraid him cause he have gun….. Do he just kill my padna to prove a point…. This bear rubbish,……he better know he safer in jail than out cause nine years from now he will die just
Iike gold teeth…..rip Ashton we all love an miss u in the village
Again this is a slap on the hand punishment in my view…the accused has done acts before…why play it down…thats why i dislike fully the justice system in the caribbean would never back the CCJ..
Just shows again and history has proven that before and will surely continue to prove that the black society cant dispense justice fairly..its a weakness in the black race..
crimes of that level should never be a passive sentence….but again check History..back from the tribes in Africa….sums up all the arrows…clearly…
First time offender???? Shame on the justice system, he will be out in no time to murder again, then what?? What help is he going to get in prison? Shame on the justice system!!!! God does not sleep!!! Manslaughter?? I cannot believe this.
He was not any type of farmer except maybe weed, he carried that knife with him all the time and spoke of murdering people. I pray God be with nurse Gibbons she did not deserve the loss of her son after all she did and does for the people of marigot.
He deserves life in prison for such action!
you can get seven yrs for theft and are you telling me nine yrs for murder or manslaughter which carries the same penalty..n=onsense
Did she tell the court that he was a first time offender? Unbelievable! If the court buy that then they need revisit that sentence.
9 yrs?…wow…first time offender? Did they forget he killed his own brother…what i happening to the judicial system in dominica. criminals are back on the strees causing havoc.
A man is stabbed 6 times sitting in a car and the murderer is only charged with manslaughter?
Then the judge is going easy on a Murderer because he is young? Because he is a first time offender?
Does that mean that we have to wait until someone kills a second time to get tough on him/her?
What is really going on in DA na? Is DA really doomed?
when will all these light sentensing stop how can u give a murderer like that 9 years we seriously need magistrates nlike tiyanni back oh my god is this magistrate really serious? what if it was her brother or immediate family member?doesnt light sentencing like this one fustrates police work?who is this magistratethat has done this?what about the deceased mother how does she feel?people will soon start to take the law into their own hands and murder will be on the increase mark my words ppl
that judge and the system is sickening..omg
but this is not his first one as far as i can remember, i could be wrong but people in Marigot they might know better
That justice system in here is in a real sorry state. Murderers are getting away on a daily basis. What are they saying to the hard working police officers?
Ns. Gibbons, hold tight my dear. Jah never leaves us halfway.
i vex. u mean to tell me he murded d man while he was asleep n he got only 9 years.
dat system not working. something wrong
we just can’t get justice in dominica en. boy boy boy!!!. awa nuh. 9 years for stabbing a man to death in a vehicle? that’s why some people take the justice into their own hands.
The man was sleeping, what was manslaughter there? that sounds like cold booded murder
wah are these people doing lieing to the world dean kill his brother an all u saying first offense eh beh weh
oh boy just say itagain a man that kill alreay they sayin is frist time offenerd and he only get 9yrs that is just sayin to other its ok to kil because u will enjoy tax payer money then be back on the outside in little to no time