Williams Jailed For 12 Years For Shooting
Yesterday [July 20] two men were sentenced to 12 years and 12 months years in prison respectively for their involvement in a shooting last year near Gravity nightclub. Pelealkhai Williams, 23, and Jonathan Dill, 28, previously admitted their involvement in the shooting of Rodney Grimes in October 2011.
The Court previously heard the defendants both have ties to the 42 gang, while the victim had associations with other gangs, and that Williams was acting on orders from other gang members to shoot the victim.
The incident occurred in the old Clay House Inn parking lot near Gravity Nightclub, on North Shore Road, Devonshire at around 3.20am on October 8, 2011. The defendants and the victim had all been in the club, and the shooting occurred just after the club closed down and everyone was leaving for the night.
Mr Grimes, 25, was shot at close range and escaped serious injury with the bullet grazing his head and striking him in his ear. Williams is the self-confessed shooter, while Dill rode the get-away bike with Williams as passenger. Williams received 12 years, while Dill was sentenced to 12 months.
Pelealkhai Williams was convicted on one count of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm by shooting at Rodney Grimes with a loaded firearm on October 8, 2011. Williams was also convicted on a separate count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence with a firearm.
Jonathan Dill was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and to wounding with intent. Dill had described himself as having helped Williams to enable him to get away from the scene, despite knowing that Williams had committed an offence.
Pealeakhai Williams was sentenced to 12 years and a three months suspended was activated. The nine months that Williams has already spent in custody will be taken into account. Williams’s accomplice, Jonathan Dill, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and the nine months that Dill has already spent in custody will be taken into account.
In a 90 minute sentencing session, the two sentences were handed down by Justice Patricia Dangor.
Before passing sentence, Justice Dangor said that Williams had been born in Israel to a Bermudian mother who had gone to Israel and had lived there in a settlement made up of mostly of black Americans, but with some Bermudians.
Justice Dangor said that this settlement was in an overcrowded area with poor accommodation. The Justice said that Mr Williams’s mother had disappeared when he was in his early teens but had re-appeared about four years after.
Justice Dangor said that Mr Williams was 17 when he came to Bermuda and within weeks of his arrival in Bermuda, he had run afoul of the law and had been in trouble in each of the years 2008 – 2011.
He had been given a 90 day prison sentence in 2011 and was last released from Westgate Correctional Facility in May 2011. At the time of the October 2011 shooting, Williams was under a 90 day suspended prison sentence.
Justice Dangor said that Williams had chosen his lifestyle in Bermuda and had chosen to associate with the gang members of ‘42’; and that he was lucky that the gun had jammed and could not fired at Grimes as Grimes lay, bleeding, on the ground.
The Justice said that Police reports had indicated that Mr Williams had been recognized by them as a gang member, but only since early 2010.
At yersterday’s hearing, in very short statements from the dock, both men had apologized for their behaviour with Williams adding: “I’m not proud of what I did.”
Prosecutor Cindy Clarke had recommended a sentence’ of 12 – 14 years for Williams, and between 18 and 24 months for Dill for his role as an accessory. She noted that both men have multiple previous convictions.
Williams was represented by lawyer Shade Subair, while Craig Attridge represented Dill. Both men were already in custody, and were lead from Court into an awaiting prison van to begin their sentences.
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12 months for an accessory! I guess they got light as they please guilty. These judges are toooooo eady
These Lawyers are really trained to be liars, what a pile of crock, stop defending these idiots
Look this native up good.o
Too many inconsistencies,earlier this year we saw two young men in court for simple handling and the other for possession of a firearm. They received 10 & 12 yrs respectively, so how is it that one can shoot someone and get the same 12yrs and the gun was used in nine other shootings this makes no sense whatsoever. He was ordered to go and kill so why was the charge not attempted murder.As for the one who got 12 mths he may not have pulled the trigger but he was just as guilty. He should of got half of the gunmen’s sentence =6 years. Guess it’s who you are and who you know
I REALLY dont comprehend getting less time for a gun crime than getting caught with any amount of drugs. We need more hard core judges. I wish all the judicial system could be overhauled and get judges in that give the maximum sentence for ALL gun crimes. Its too darn bad that the people cant vote for persons in judicial positions.
The court system is so F***ed here. Maybe we should get a lot more of this two man on a bike shooting if the can walk away with JUST 12 months. It’ a cool thing to do going by this court system. Keep up the good work jury and court system. This is just why d shooting WILL NOT STOP!!!!!!!
My n!gg@ Jonny see you when you touch da road cheaaaaaa!!!!!
In English?
12 months is a joke for the accomplice. With prior convictions and full knowledge of harbourig the identity of a criminal on top of helping the escape, 6 years would be a minimum. To have this clown on the street in 3 months is a catastrophe.
There must have been some serious bargaining here… intent to cause harm for shooting someone?
in my mind any shoooting at anyone in bermuda should be automatically “attempted murder”…. and teh sentence for attempted murder, should be the same as murder… you should not get a lesser sentence simply because you missed.
how is this not attempt of murder
My sentiments the same, specifically when he was ordered to do it even though he did not succeed thank God, the fact remains he attempted to murder someone.
What is wrong with this picture ??????????????
When Mr. Williams finishes his sentence send (deport) him to Israel.
I agree with most of the comments here. This shooting wil continue until the price for doing it becomes too high! this type of sentencing will only encourage it.
@ send him back, even though he was born in Israel as far as I know he is Bermudian via his mom. So there is no “sending him back”
I believe that the bigger picture here, is the inconsistency in the courts ruling. It sometimes feel like the Justices’ get up and roll the dice.
These inconsistencies allow the imbeciles to play Russian roulette with the lives of everyone around them, I do not buy into the theory of “if you don’t live that life you are not at risk”
12 months smh only in Bermuda. Blame the system not the ppl. They the ones letting ppl get away with sh!t.
@ gaza-O ya boy johnny will definetly be seen lol
are guns still illegal? i cant tell anymore