Cannabis: Westgate Prisoner Pleads Not Guilty
Attired in a Westgate orange sweatsuit ensemble, 33-year-old Quincy Brangman sat in the prisoner’s enclosure in this morning’s [May 10] Plea Court facing a charge of possessing cannabis in an Increased Penalty Zone – namely inside Westgate Correctional Facility.
The drugs were allegedly found on 28th September 2011. Brangman pleaded not guilty. Senior Magistrate Archie Warner pointed out that the Prison Authorities had full powers to deal with matters such as this, and asked Prosecutor Geoffrey Byrne why the matter had been brought before the Magistrate.
Mr Byrne replied that drug use in prison was a prevalent offence and that the community and Prison Authorities needed to see that strong measures would be taken.
The Magistrate pointed out that on other matters, Brangman was already facing a long sentence and that his tacking on of another six months on to a 25 year sentence seemed to have little value.
Brangman has been convicted of shooting Nathan Darrell multiple times on February 13, 2010 in Sandys. In 2011, a Supreme Court jury found him guilty of attempted murder and using a firearm, and sentenced him to 25 years in jail.
The Magistrate also said that the practice of charging prisoners in this manner must be “… balanced against the cost, use of time, and security issues, especially when there are internal systems that can properly deal with matters.”
The matter was adjourned to 23rd May 2012 and the Magistrate asked the Prosecutor’s office to see if the matter could be dealt with differently.
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It’s called covering their a$$es.
A poor job at that.
Not like he had 2 pounds and was distributing.
Waste of court time.
Whre the hell is Mr. Lamb.
All he has to do is say he went to Harvard and he will be fine. why don’t we all do that? Makes sense to me.
NOPE! This won’t work because he needs the long silky hair, bottle shaped figure, tight short skirt & knee high patent leather boots to go along with the Harvard credentials.
Ahh yes, good one archie. He’s in jail anyway, let him smoke weed.
I’m beginning to think its the Judges and not the government that are the bloody problem!
I think the Judge might be right about this. This court appearance is nothing more than a chance to get out of prison for the afternoon. The Westgate Correctional facility should revoke his Visitor Passes for a YEAR and that would have more impact than adding 6 months to his already lengthy prison sentence. I say do both: revoke the visitor passes and add six months on to his prison term.
AGREED! Revoke visitor’s passes.
Stay up Jim!
Whatever…..and don’t drop the soap.
Your all of the mark. My opinion.
Archie is pointing out that this could have been dealt with internally. Simple.
Was this case brought to court because there are many incidents that occurr with relation too contraband?
Probabley so.
If he pissess on others, throws his food around et al, these are internal.
Just because you don’t agree does not make the Magistrate wrong or ill informed.
Why tie up the courts when you have the tools to deal with it.
Plus why make an example out of someone that is doing 25 years.
What a waste of spending and the logistics of getting someone to court who is basically doing life.
I think we can all agree you’re a moron, Little Troll Man. There is no law allowing internal prosecution and punishment of crimes committed in Westgate. That’s a bit short sighted of you.
They should let him appear in court via CCTV to minimize the risk of an escape.
Surely some of the shanks & knives westgate publicized were found on prisoners. Why aren’t prisoners found with weapons being brought in front of the court since they insist on bringing the ones found with drugs in? Do the prison officers think drug use is more of a threat to them then weapons in prison & they don’t need to make an example of those found with them?
From the amount of samson in the photos westgate released It seems that prisoners are making more of a profit dealing tobacco then any other drug in prison.
Most of those photos were packages intercepted, not actually found on inmates.
If this is what’s intercepted than imagine what’s not for people to keep the incitement up to send it through. Also if there must be some knowledge of stuff not being intercepted to have prison guards so worried. If I was a prison guard I would be way more worried about weapons because drugs will not cause a danger to them but shank could be nasty.
What’s wrong with a little weed when you’re up the Hotel on holiday??
Are you kidding me! Mr. Warner needs to just do his job! That’s like saying if a student is found with Cannabis at school, they should only be dealt with internally? Possession of any illicit drug is an offence! If dealt with internally there will be no criminal record on the individual. But from his recent cases we see his stand on the possession of Cannabis!
Why shouldn’t a student found with cannabis in school be dealt with internally? Would you rather them get a criminal record & be put on a stop list ruining there opportunity to further their education or maybe even to get a job in the future? If a student got caught with alcohol in school & the please were called in they wouldn’t be criminally charged even though alcohol is illegal for someone under 18 to posses. Don’t you see the hypocrisy in this or are you one of those who is ignorant enough not to know that alcohol is worse than cannabis? If you are really that ignorant just ask yourself this why does someone’s body when drinking too much alcohol expel it. Besides this is not a case of a student this is a case of a prisoner who already has a criminal record so there’s no use adding to it for something pettier than what got them there in the first place. You’re comparing bananas & broccoli. A better deterrent would be an internal punishment like solitary confinement which I think should have been done to all gangster wannabes in the first place to break up their affiliation not have them all together so they can hang out 24/7. Even your relation of Archie’s stand on cannabis is off because his sentencing methods have always been erratic where one person will get of while the next will be sentenced harshly for the same sort of crime. The only slight consistency in this judge’s sentencing I see is that those with a better social standing in this community or another abroad usually get more leniency though even this is not always.
That is a poor comparison…piss poor! Unless of course you are implying that being in school is a punishment.
The point being made is…there are systems in place within the correctional facilities to handle internal infractions. Mr Warner has no ability to impose a penalty other than a fine or imprisonment in this case and if he has 25 years I doubt a fine will be paid and imprisonment…is already taken care of.
The prison has more power, and as previously suggested could revoke his visitor passes or some other allowance within the prison could be revoked. Yes, possession of cannabis is an offence, but prosecuting someone who is already serving 25yrs is a poor use of resources.
The head of the Prison is responsible for the Prison.
If weed is found in his Prison, he needs to be in front of the Judge and explain himself.
If weed is found in the Judges chambers who’s she/he gonna haul in?
This plant that grows in God’s green Earth sure creates some problems but I’m still trying to figure out why? Why not Basil Rosemary or Thyme?!
It’s not the plant that creates the problems its prohibition of the plant. The same problems were created when alcohol was prohibited in the thirties & gave rise to the most notorious gangster ever al capone.
“The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this.” – Albert Einstein
All these ppl dying n ya gonna worry about some1 smoking weed come on Bermy we should be looking for the killers not ppl smoking weed. I smoke!!
When will this menace to society ever learn!!!!!!!
just legalise it already and stop opressing everyone
Cheesh these comments tire me.
Yes there is no reason for taking it to court as it was a minimal amount for personal use. As he already has a hefty sentance (regardless of the fact) the prison CAN enforce internal penalties.
I.E. 24 hour lockdown, 6 months no visitors, bathroom cleaning duties etc. There is alot of dirty work no man wishes to do
I believe extended sentences or amendments should only be brought back to the court for violent acts. I also believe cctv court is best for ANY prisoner ALREADY in westgate. SKYPEEEEEEE The officers have enough issues.
AGREED- Skype, 24-hr lockdown, toilet/bathroom cleaning duties and revocation of visitor passes. Crimes of a serious nature to be dealt with by the courts (via Skype).
Easy solution. Forget wasting taxpayer dollars with trips to court.
If you are caught with weed you should be forced to give it back to the officer and
lose the top two tiers of your cable package along with the Friday night lobster dinner
(only in the months with R though)
They dont kno Sh*t bout Honest Living FREE JIM