A St. Lucian national who has been residing in Dominica since 2018 has been jailed effective his arrest by the police on April 16, 2020, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).
Brief facts re the case of Casy Joseph
The Accused Casy Joseph and Tricia Valentine were in a relationship and shared a young son.
On Sunday, April 12th, 2020, whilst at one of his friend’s homes his friend received a telephone call that caught the attention of the Accused. He began eavesdropping on the conversation and what he heard seemed to interest him. As a result, he left for his girlfriend Tricia Valentine’s home.
On arrival at the home of Tricia Valentine, the Accused met his girlfriend’s sister Jolisa Dublin, his girlfriend, and their son sitting on a bed in a bedroom.
He immediately confronted his girlfriend (Tricia Valentine) about the telephone conversation that he had just overheard at his friend’s home. Tricia denied his accusations and was supported by her sister Jolisa in doing so.
Jolisa told the Accused that it was she Jolisa who made the call using Tricia Valentine’s phone.
The Accused then removed a blue and white handle knife from his waistline and in the presence of the baby, began stabbing both women. After being stabbed, Tricia Valentine fell to the floor, and her sister Jolisa Dublin ran out of the house falling onto a dirt road.
He continued in pursuit of Jolisa and continued stabbing her all over her body and then returned to the house where he inflicted further stab wounds on Tricia Valentine and then fled the scene.
Tricia Valentine received multiple stab wounds to her thorax, and lumber region among other areas. Jolisa Dublin received stab wounds to her thigh, back, both arms and neck. They both bleeding profusely and were transported to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, where they both underwent emergency surgery.
A report of the incident was made to the La Plaine Police Station and, having received certain information, the Police went in search of the Accused. That search was conducted over two days (April 14th), resulting in him being captured in the bushes of Rosalie in the parish of St. David.
On the 16th day of April 2020, the Accused was formally arrested and charged with the attempted murder of Tricia Valentine and Jolisa Dublin.
According to the medical report, Tricia Valentine received a total of eight (8) stab wounds. Surgical findings included a laceration to the left lobe of the liver and active bleeding and a bilateral chest tube was placed. Valentine remained hospitalized for twelve (12) days. Likewise, Jolisa Dublin received seven (7) stab wounds and remained hospitalized for five days.
On the 15th day of April 2024, the Accused was indicted on two counts of Grievous Bodily Harm with intent by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On Friday the 19th, of April, the Accused was arraigned and pleaded guilty to both offenses of Grievous Bodily Harm.
Social inquiry report
The social inquiry report complied by the Social Welfare department states that Joseph was a “decent and hardworking individual” with no negative comments was raised in the rural ghetto in St. Lucia and was one of five children of his parents. He also expressed “remorse” for his actions and admitted that he does have a major anger management issue and has taken full responsibility for his actions.
The officer also stated that she tried on several occasions to meet and interview Tricia and her sister Jolisa but was met with futility.
Sentence
In handing down his sentence, Justice Colin Williams stated that it was clear that the ladies evaded the Social Welfare Officer who tried to speak to them on the issue with the mother stating that she thought that “the Welfare Officer was trying to take the child from her.”
He frowned on such behaviour and in looking at the aggravating and mitigation circumstances, he said they “balanced each other.”
The offense carries a maximum of ten years in jail and although the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) made representation for a fine, he stated that since they evaded the Welfare Officer he was “not in a position to decide what was on their mind.”
He imposed a six-year starting jail sentence and because of his early guilty plea, it was reduced by 2 years with a balance of 4 years left. He then added one year for the use of the weapon (a knife) bringing it to five years.
Joseph, he stated has been on remand since 2020 and never applied for bail. The sentence of the court is 5 years in jail dating back to his arrest in April 2020.