Two of Donville Inniss’ closest friends delivered character statements on his behalf in the Eastern District Court of New York on Tuesday just before his sentencing took place.
Even though Former Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite and former Barbados High Commissioner to London, Reverend Guy Hewitt, had submitted written statements to the judge they both asked to be heard from the podium.
Brathwaite, who was also in attendance at Inniss’ trial in 2020 at the Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn New York Court, pleaded with the judge to exercise as much leniency as possible for his former Cabinet colleague and business associate.
Pointing out that he was also a former Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for the security forces, Brathwaite who flew in from Barbados to lend support to his friend, said he embraced the concept of second chances,
Hewitt, who had sat next to Inniss’ wife Gail throughout the proceedings and appeared to be offering her moral and religious support, said he had known Inniss from child-hood and that their families were very close.
He added that the two of them had collaborated when Inniss was Minister of Health and he, the chairman of the Board at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. (MB)
