19 year old loses appeal of gun/ammo conviction

Orson Andrews

A nineteen year old is back in prison tonight after being out on bail for over a year pending the appeal of a firearm conviction. Orson Andrews was busted with a point thirty-eight revolver at his house on April sixteenth, 2011. He pleaded guilty to charges for keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition that same day and was given two five-year sentences to run concurrently. The appeal was heard on Thursday before Justice Denis Hanomansingh in the Supreme Court, where Andrews’ attorney Anthony Sylvestre, submitted that the magistrate should have never accepted his client’s guilty plea. Sylvestre argued that there was no proof that the object police said they found in Andrews’ possession was a firearm.  He also claimed that it was a police officer who told Andrews to plead guilty to the offence under duress. In response, Prosecutor, Kaysha Grant, submitted that once a person pleads guilty to any offense, there is no further need for the prosecution to provide proof and that the magistrate was satisfied that the object was in fact a firearm.  After hearing both sides, Justice Hanomansingh dismissed the appeal and affirmed that Andrews is to serve the initial sentences. So today Andrews began his five year prison term.