Convicted Killer Derek Spalding Gets Life
[Updated] 36-year-old Derek Spalding was sentenced to life in prison this morning [Mar.7], and must serve 38 years before he will be eligible for parole.
Earlier this month he was found guilty of the murder of Shaki Crockwell, a national level football player who was murdered in 2007. The 25-year-old’s body was found on the Railway Trail in Devonshire on 24th August 2007.
The trial began on January 24th, with the jury hearing that Mr Spalding shot the victim as he owed him money from selling drugs.
Mr Crockwell and Mr Spalding initially met while they were both serving prison time, and the two men decided on an arrangement in which the victim would sell drugs for the defendant upon his release from prison, as he was scheduled to be released first.
The Prosecutor said the defendant was owed money by Mr Crockwell, and arranged to meet the victim on the Railway Tracks saying he would give him a package of drugs. The two men met on the Tracks, and Mr Spalding shot Mr Crockwell.
Mr Spalding will be eligible for parole in 2050, when he will be 74 years old.
Update: Before passing a life sentence on Derek Spalding, Justice Carlyle Greaves described Spalding as a cold, calculating, manipulative assassin for whom there was a substantially remote chance of rehabilitation.
Justice Greaves said that on discovering the change in the law that allowed parole after one-third of a sentence had been served, Spalding had got himself into every prison program that he could and had persuaded authorities that he had found a new path.
On his release on licence in 2007, authorities had found him a job as a ferryman with Marine & Ports. In this job, the evidence was that he had used the ferry to carry on his drug-dealing with Shaki Crockwell.
The Justice said that many Bermudians found themselves on the US Stoplist after they had run afoul of Bermuda laws but that Spalding, with his many convictions, had managed to circumnavigate the Stoplist and get into the USA by joining the crew and using the “Spirit of Bermuda” to smuggle guns and drugs back into Bermuda.
Justice Greaves said that this action showed Spalding’s ability to scheme and manipulate and that his action damaged the reputation of the good ship and the ship and its program would take years to recover.
The full sentence handed down by Justice Greaves was that Spalding was sentenced to life in prison and must not be considered for parole until he had served thirty-eight years.
This was the sentence handed down for the first count of premeditated murder. Justice Greaves awarded a second sentence of ten years for the second count of using a firearm to commit a crime. This ten year sentence was to run concurrent with the life sentence.
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It’s nice that he can smile about killing someone. Always look on the bright side of life.
Why are you ASSUMING that he is smiling because he killed someone?
Real ni@@az do real things
Yeah like getting life sentences and spending the rest of their lives with other real ni@@az. But I bet you & Spalding like spending your days with only men. Ain’t nothing “real” about shooting someone with their backed turned. Coward wannabe real ni@@a is a better description.
@ amen. Watch ur mouth yo
So when one of your family or friends getS blasted in their heads your going say REAL NI@@As do real things!!! You sound like a real dumb a$$…
Yeah REAL NI@@AS do do real things they have jobs and take care of their famalies!!!
Fake ni@@as wait to someone turns their backs to shoot them!!!
and why should they watch their mouth??? What ya going do be a REAL FAKE NI@@A and shoot them in their back??!!!
@amen real talk
@real ni@@a/street ni@@a Real things: like trying to threaten someone on a comment thread. LOL
What’s real about using a gun as a false sense of security. Wannabe gangsters back in the day used fist now these new punks couldn’t punch their way out of a wet paper bag. The only wannabe gangster who used a gun back then was manyase but he’s like a pygmy so that explains that. Like Professor X from the X Clan used to say, “sissiiiiiies”
Now go tell me to watch my mouth also because I need a good laugh.
Sentenced to (basically) a life of confinement at the expense of the other citizens. Can’t we just bring back the death penalty already?? At least then we can put him and the taxpayers out of their respective misery.
If the death penalty is “too harsh” or whatever, can’t we make it so that these “lifers” in prison are forced to work and contribute something of value for once? This may even help reduce the cost of providing them w/ room, board and meals.
Agreed. This waste will now cost us $3million over the next 38 years.
Put him to work where Government is spending money in an effort to cut costs.
Mixing concrete, asphault, producing soemthing that Government uses regularly.
Anything. Dont just let him sit off and watch cable all day in Westgate Suites..
Cut off his trigger fingers.
OMG I cannot believe this a**hole!!!! Makes me wanna jump through my computer screen and punch that smirk off his damn face!
Talks cheap
How do u know he want smiling at one of his family memeber, a true bermudian love to ASSume…smh, violate aren’t you!! U sure u wasn’t involved
First of all your comment makes no damn sense, bunch of gibberish. Secondly, I don’t care who or what he is smiling for! If you can smile after you have just been found guilty for murdering someone, you are nothing but a cold hearted human.
LOL, u can’t be serious with that statement!
You know dam well he’s not smiling at a family member.There’s is nothing to smile about it just shows his imaturity.The problem is these so called men need to grow up.
Secondly that is more like a smirk than a smile witch most criminals like him shows narcissism..People who commit these type of crimes have narcissistic behavior..
Smiling cause he is not afraid of Westgate. He has no regrets. Bad to the core!!!!
And why would he be afraid of Westgate the way Col. Lamb runs it? Cell phones, drugs….KFC for dinner….what’s to be afraid of?
No lockdown – it’s like a summer camp without the canoeing.
kno dat
Why jump to conclusions ??? How do you want him to look ? Is it not possible he is happy to see a family member ?
I so agree..Everytime there is a picture posted and the person is smiling thats the type of comments that you get…That and the ‘smiling cause he’s gonna be somebodies %7itch!” comments…SMH…
Yawnnnnnnnnnn…..an ex-con kills a drug dealer/thief. Does anyone care besides his daddy?
The streets are now a better place.
OBVIOUSLY YOU DO CAUSE YOU COMMENTED!!!….
Wow, we can all judge! But really, did they really get the right guy? For Spalding’s sake I sure hope they did – 38 years is a long time to serve. If he did it by all means he deserves that time and more. I just wish there was DNA evidence to prove it because he is being locked up strictly on people’s word which may not even be true.
Witnesses: Lightbourne said he knew Mr. Crockwell’s (bless his soul) pants were down when murdered – WELL, THE STREET KNEW THIS WHEN IT HAPPENED WAY BEFORE IT HIT THE PAPERS, THE KILLER ONLY HAD TO TELL ONE PERSON so does this mean that because Lightbourne knew about it that Spalding is definitely the killer?
His father: Has never been close to his son. I could understand him confiding in his mother but who would confide in an estranged father? Would you?
I am by no means saying that he didn’t do it, I just wish there was DNA evidence to prove it.
My sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Crockwell. I am sure this is a difficult time for you right now.
David Henry, I agree he should be forced to work, tie him to a chain at night and make him clean up Dockyard. And the rest of the low lifers up there. Make them all pay for their room and board.
Stay real daddy-o. We all kno wat time it is. They all wishing on ah star! Kno dat!!!!!!!!!
Stay off the sissurp & stop calling yourself the N word. It’s an exploitation of our african decedents who were kings of many nations. You perpetrate a fraud culture.
LOVE U BIGG BRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL AT THESE PPL WANNA JUMP THROUGH D CPU N ALL THESE OTHER DOPEY COMMENTS THEY WOULD NEVER LOL F### THEM HALF OF EM NEVER EVEN BEEN UP TOP TALKN BOUT WEST GATE A SUMMER CAMP KFC FOR DINNER LOL THEY’LL BE OK LOVE U BRAAAAAAA KEEP YA HEAD UP KNO DAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bet you failed every class in school miserably so you acted out to distract from your stupidity huh Duke? Or is it REAL NI@@A? Pick one name. You can love your big bra through a prison cell now but judging by your mentality you’ll probably be joining him soon. Victory all around
He’s a lil wayne wannabe who probably kisses his “BIGG BRAS” on the lips like lil wayne kisses bird man.
http://ohverlycritical.com/news/2011/04/lil-wayne-kissing-birdman-aka-baby-on-rap-city-may-2002-video
LMAO
In English, please?
LOVE U BRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love u boxer shorts!!!!
You mean love U Sis. Cause that’s what your Sissy bra will be in 37 years. His name has change from Derek to Dorothy and there are no yella brick roads where he going. : )
LMAO!
LMAO Also! She’ll probably be able to get a job at a salon once she gets out of westgate with all the hair braiding experience she’ll have.
If he saw a family member he should be crying!!!!!not smiling!!!!! If I was going away for a long long time and saw my family there I would be crying!!!!! Just a cold snake!!!!
As I read some of these comments I sit here shaking my head. Are some of you guys gang members too??
And what’s with blog name “REAL NI@@A”??? Are you saying that you are a REAL NI@@A as opposed to the UNREAL kind?
I’m guessing you and “DUKE” suffer from low self esteem or have some inferiority complex. Do yourself a favour and get some professional help. (see someone at the department of Social Services)
lol at u just so u know we all commented off da same email adress so get over yaself amen lofl um duke dats my name sure everyone knows whos i am and no matter wat u ppl say i still love my bra bet dat but its funny how u can even say that cause only bernews ppl kno the email address to the comments lol at ms.B
I never said I knew your email but the icon is the same but a multiple comments under different names. It’s not rocket science “bra”.
What’s wif all dis “BRA” action? Are we talkin Playtex Maidenform or the entirely upmarket
Victoria’s Secret?
The last time I looked, ‘bra’ was a woman’s undergarment. Is that how you’re referring to your (apparent) friend?
The Legend strikes again ! ! !
AND AT MALACHI MY ATTITUDE MAYBE SOBER BUT MY SELF ASTEEM IS WAY HIGH YA LIL A** LOL I WAS WAITN FOR SOME 1 DUMB AS U 2 TO SAY SOMTHING LOL
Congratulations buddy for copying that quote straight from someones tumblr pic. As far as your commenting e-mail adress, no one can see it but bernews, but take a look to the right and that dopey little face belongs to you.
The only one dumb here is your brother, I mean your new sister and the 37 years of trips you will be making to visit her at the Prison Duke. Reality check your brother will fall in love with a guy while in jail. TRUE!!!!
Someone as dumb as me??
If I had to guess, most people reading this blog can figure out who the dummies are!!
It’s spelled ‘Esteem’, dude.
Damn, west gate must be packed right now. Out at 74, not bad. He’ll have about 3 full days of life left.
Amen plz watch ya mouth. If you nah no wat u talking bout.
Well enlighten me all knowing one.
“If you nah no wat u talking bout”…please translate this into a recognizable language.
I have been following this case VERY closely….Bermudians really do like to assume and base their knowledge on only what the media conveys….terrible thing to do! For someone who spent enough time in court during this case you would know that there was NO DNA evidence against the accused& just what witnesses had to say…let me add these witnesses were NOT eye-witnesses! So then i question you….how reliable is a witness that isn’t an eye-witness?? I question the intentions of the witnesses as well….let me put it this way…if i don’t like someone who is up for murder and i have the opportunity to come up with something to potentially get them in jail…won’t u do it to seek revenge? Ok then…furthermore, the father of the accused is a shallow, cold hearted whatever the judge described the accused as. #1 Only a father with a BAD relationship with his son would testify against him? Why? to seek revenge….Or perhaps they had no relationship…&who admits to committing a murder to someone they can’t confide in or have no relationship with?…Shallow minded Bermudians need to piece it all together for their smart selfs and stop letting the media form your thoughts for you!!!!! The shooting was executed so perfectly do you really think one of these lil wanna b’s know how to handle guns as such…no! it’s obvious that a professional did this crime and is now enjoying their life where ever they are… God will handle it tho!
In time justice will be TRULY served…..& just to add…the smile he has is a great thing, for an innocent man being convicted and not to have any bitterness shows someone @ peace with God, knowing your innocent and that in time God will work it out! For that…he has a reason to smile! It’s a crying shame that so many wrongful convictions happen…
That’s a smirk not a smile he appers to show a narcissistic attitude.
Yall small minded individuals!! This case woulda neva went before a court anywhere else COMMENT ON THAT!! NO evidence, except for RaTs talkin trash!! Bermuda is definately another world!!! Believe that!!!
And everybody needs lil support no matter what!!! I bet half of you ridiculing prolly go church or came from it rite?!WWJD?! Its not ya fight! Condolences 2 all concerned that lost someone!! Hold strong scolly!! Big UP DUKe!! ToEs,,,
I have been following this case VERY closely….Bermudians really do like to assume and base their knowledge on only what the media conveys….terrible thing to do! For someone who spent enough time in court during this case you would know that there was NO DNA evidence against the accused& just what witnesses had to say…let me add these witnesses were NOT eye-witnesses! So then i question you….how reliable is a witness that isn’t an eye-witness?? I question the intentions of the witnesses as well….let me put it this way…if i don’t like someone who is up for murder and i have the opportunity to come up with something to potentially get them in jail…won’t u do it to seek revenge? Ok then…furthermore, the father of the accused is a shallow, cold hearted whatever the judge described the accused as. #1 Only a father with a BAD relationship with his son would testify against him? Why? to seek revenge….Or perhaps they had no relationship…&who admits to committing a murder to someone they can’t confide in or have no relationship with?…Shallow minded Bermudians need to piece it all together for their smart selfs and stop letting the media form your thoughts for you!!!!! The shooting was executed so perfectly do you really think one of these lil wanna b’s know how to handle guns as such…no! it’s obvious that a professional did this crime and is now enjoying their life where ever they are… God will handle it tho! In time justice will be TRULY served…..& just to add…the smile he has is a great thing, for an innocent man being convicted and not to have any bitterness shows someone @ peace with God, knowing your innocent and that in time God will work it out! For that…he has a reason to smile! It’s a crying shame that so many wrongful convictions happen…