Gonsalves says its time to move away from Privy Council
Published:Wednesday | July 22, 2009 | 6:42 PM
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says its time for his country to consider giving up the London-based Privy Council as their final court of appeal.
Dr. Gonsalves\' comments come on the heels of a Privy Council ruling last month that commuted the death sentence of convicted killer Daniel Dick Trimmingham to life imprisonment.
Mr Trimmingham was sentenced to hang after being found guilty of the 2003 murder of a 68-year-old man.
His lawyers went to the Privy Council after the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal dismissed their case in 2005.
They argued that the imposition of the death penalty on a mentally retarded defendant was inhumane and degrading.
Dr Gonsalves says Vincentians have the opportunity to move away from the Privy Council through constitutional reform.