Attorney-at-law Velma Hylton has died

Queen's Counsel Velma Hylton, who was a former deputy director of public prosecutions, died this morning.

Retired Court of Appeal judge Clarence Walker described her as a forceful prosecutor.

“She always prepared her cases properly and presented them with a vigour which belied her femininity. She was strong, she was good,” Walker said.

Many years ago they were both prosecutors in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In paying tribute to her, Walker said defence lawyers were never anxious to appear with her in cases because of her skills. 

She was a very successful prosecutor, he added.

Retired Supreme Court judge Lennox Campbell described Hylton as an amazing fighter, both as a prosecutor and an advocate in private practice.

“She stood out in an era that was dominated by her male colleagues,” Campbell said.

Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn described Hylton as a legend.

“She was really a trailblazer for women like me at the Public Bar.”

Llewellyn said Hylton during her years as a prosecutor operated in a tough male-dominated arena where the bar was exceptionally high.

She was an excellent and successful prosecutor who appeared in many high-profile cases, said Llewellyn.

She expressed condolence to Hylton's family on behalf of the Office of the DPP.

Hylton subsequently left the Office of the DPP in Jamaica to take up a post in Grenada. 

She was sent on secondment to Grenada to prosecute the famous Maurice Bishop murder case and was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions for Grenada. 

After leaving Grenada, she went to St Kitts as resident Puisne Judge for the Eastern Caribbean Courts.

She retired from that job and then went to the Bahamas where she was employed as Director of Public Prosecutions.

On her return to Jamaica, she went into private practice.

She is survived by her two daughters.

She was appointed in 2014 to serve as one of the Commissioners on the Tivoli Commission of Enquiry into events that took place in Western Kingston in 2010.
She later resigned following controversy over her appointment. 

Hylton, in stepping down, said the enquiry was very important to Jamaica “and should not be hampered by politics and petty distractions.

- Barbara Gayle

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