Alexia King-Whyte

November 16, 2023

Man sentenced for murder begs public for forgiveness

One of the men involved in the murder of politician Phillip Paulwell's daughter and her mother has apologized to Jamaicans and asked for forgiveness.

 

Toshyna Patterson, 27, and 10-month-old Sarayah Paulwell were abducted outside their St Andrew home on September 9. It was reported that they were taken to Kingston, were shot, and killed and their bodies burnt.

 

Richard Brown, 32, who had driven the killers and the victims to the murder scene, was yesterday sentenced to 30 years each on two counts of murder, which are to run concurrently.

 

Brown, who is to serve 20 years in prison before parole considerations, was also responsible for collecting $100,000 part payment from the alleged mastermind to deliver the victims to the contract killers.

 

Following his sentencing in the Home Circuit Court yesterday, his lawyers, Rita Allen-Brown shared a letter that Brown wrote expressing remorse for his actions and begged for forgiveness.

 

“I just want to do the right thing. I want my lawyer to tell the family of the baby and mother and the Jamaican public that I am very sorry for the role I played in the loss of their lives. I hope and pray everyone will one day forgive me for my involvement,” said Brown who pleaded guilty in October.

 

His co-conspirator, Roshane Miller, who also pleaded guilty in October, was also sentenced yesterday.

 

He was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in prison each for two counts of accessory before the fact to murder; two years and 10 months each for two counts of conspiracy to kidnap; and one year and 10 months for misprision of felony which are also to run concurrently.

 

Although Miller pleaded guilty to participating in the planning of the murder, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), in a statement, said there was no evidentiary material that proves Miller was on the scene on the day of the kidnapping and murders or that he participated in the actual kidnapping and murders.

 

Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced under the Plea Negotiations and Agreements Act.

 

The alleged mastermind, Leoda Bradshaw, and her cousin, Roland Balfour, have also been charged in the matter and remain in custody. They are scheduled to return to court on December 1.

 

Bradshaw, a 34-year-old US Navy officer, was charged with two counts each of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to kidnapping. She was charged with two counts each of accessory before the fact to kidnapping and accessory before the fact to murder.