Nassau, Bahamas — Picewell ‘Soca’ Forbes is a FREE MAN today following an appearance this morning before Justice Anita Allen. ‘Soca’ Forbes had been commanded before the court for a possible charge of Contempt. Here’s what occurred. BP will later upload video on this BREAKING STORY<<<<.
Supreme Justice Anita Allen told Picewell today:
Your actions on the evening of Wednesday the 21st October 2009, had grave consequences for the administration of justice in that they imperiled:
- (a) The integrity of the jury’s deliberations, casting a cloud of suspicion enveloping all nine jurors in this matter:
- (b) The rights of the accused persons to a fair trial;
- (c) The rights of a complainant to justice in an compromised and transparent system,
This matter was further exacerbated by the following facts:
- (i) You are a member of one of the most respected professions which has been heralded as the fourth estate of a civilized nation. It forms an essential pillar of our democracy in that it informs and educated our citizenry. Accuracy of information, temperance and propriety of conduct should be the hallmarks of its practitioners.
- (ii) You are a legislator in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
- (iii) The forum in which your contemptuous action took place was a highly publicized national event which was carried live by the broadcast and television media and undoubtedly had an audience of Bahamians and indeed the world.
- (iv) The case was one of great notoriety involving a former member of Parliament and an ambulance driver on the one hand and on the other, an actor of international acclaim.
- (v) This case which ran some five weeks had to be aborted at great cost to the accused, the complainant that the Bahamian tax payer.
I had contemplated imposing on you a severe punishment for your contempt, a hefty fine and/or imprisonment. However, to your credit, you have taken responsibility for your actions and have reservedly apologized to me and to the judiciary as a whole and have also published your apology to the nation. Indeed, the organization of which you are a part also issued an immediate and unqualified apology that evening.
Further, I have considered the spontaneity of the announcement and they possibility that you were carried away by the euphoria of the crowd and gave no thought to the consequences of your announcement if untrue.
You have been severely condemned and rightly ridiculed across this nation and the world and I believe you have suffered greatly.
In the circumstances, I find that you have purged your contempt and I am satisfied that you have been sufficiently punished. I will temper with justice with mercy and discharge you with this reprimand:
“Your actions show a dangerous lack of appreciation on your part of the need to uphold and protect the sanctity and integrity of our system of justice.
We all have a responsibility to ensure that the dispensation of justice is fair, transparent and compromised. By your conduct on that fateful evening, you have failed in this responsibility and I send this clarion warning to you and other members of this society, that the course of justice must not be either deliberately or intentionally interfered with for any purpose and in any circumstance.”
As Justice Cobb said in R v Owen 1976 3 AER 239 at page 242, “… the quality of justice must be as perfect as mankind can make it and no attempt to compromise it will be countenanced by the courts.”
With that, I say, go and sin no more!
@Russell Johnson
…yawn…i can’t wait…be sure not to call my name before then…
@finscane
Will answer you on Monday lolo.
@No Name
Very good observation but remember now persons who have committed multiple Murders are on bail.Picey said the operative words ,”sorry” that alone is an admission of guilt and shame.The majority of politicians make asinie statements and poor Picey had a room full of supporters who caused him to utter the contempt.We move on as the Courts have shown satisfaction and realise that the poor man has not slept for days.Even though you have not suggested a change of venue for trial unlike another,our Constitution allows a fair trial for all of us no matter the severity of our Crime.
get a life russell johnson
@Anne
Am not just enjoying myself with pea brain bahamasyouth.When Mr Christie is nice everyone says he is weak and indecisive which is just the opposite.Am just showing persons like bahamasyouth that on this side there are persons like me who can mix it up with the most ardent and hardmouth FNM operative.However I will take your advice and layoff the misguided man until Monday 02/11/09.Sometimes we have to fioght fire with fire or the impression would surface that PLPs back down from fights.Thanks for making me be civil for awhile.
@Bahamasyouth
I have your number but dont call my name when you are making love to anyone whether male/female.You speask about yourself but I do not expect better as you are very weak and cannot stand criticism.The days for being passive are over but since I made a promise to hardhead gal I have declared a truce against you and any other till Monday 02/11/09.Now dont attack me in my absence and tell your family that for three days there is peace.To be honest am enjoying this dialogue with you bcos you get so upset and dribble through your nose.
Actions from people who have the same SIMPLE mind set as Russell Johnson chances of being on the juror has a good chance THEREFORE for this trial to be FAIR. They needs to send this to MIAMI, USA because actions from Picewell has corrupted THIS WHOLE TRIAL.
@Russell Johnson There is no need to answer Bahamasyouth but I give you credit for being able to understand where she is coming from, Kudos.
“Your actions show a dangerous lack of appreciation on your part of the need to uphold and protect the sanctity and integrity of our system of justice”…Justice Anita Allen
These are words from a Magistrate to a Lawmaker !!!!!
Forget the emotions,
Reflect on the comments and imagine reading this, in it’s context 15yrs from now. Someone, elected to legislate, debate and amend Laws of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas having this chidded at him with a ” Go and Sin no More” reprimand speaks VOLUMES of the path of Justice ( application of Law) in this country for the future.
I wonder if this was someone else without such a public profile, make such a pronouncement be handled the same?
May God have Mercy on Us Bahamas !!!
Happy for Picey…God knows he dead broke and can’t afford a $10.00 fine.
Justice demanded more than this mockery – but I expected nothing less than this. Justice in this country is not only blind, but deaf and dumb, a member of the lodge and has party symbols glued in her weave.
Did Picewell learn from this? HELL NO!! He somehow in his pea sized brain sees that as God vindicating him and sees it as a portent of the “justice” that will be issued to Pleasant in the future. What a joke we are internationally.
@ Russell Johnson – No need to shout – as you are entitled to your opinion everyone else is as well. And believe it or not, there are PLP’s who can see past party lines and political rhetoric and separate right from wrong.
It is amazing how they play lip service to God in public but only the devil in private!!
Since Picewell got off, God still reigns aye? The thing is God was reigning before Picewell opened his mouth with false news and he aint never stop. It is sad it take people getting into trouble to realize that. Then you have Lightbourne talking about how God called him after he got in trouble, I believe God being calling him a longtime, but he couldn’t hear him or he ignore the call, because he and Pleasant were too preoccupy doing other things.
This is not right, but then again this is the Bahamas.
YOU ARE SO PREJUDICED AGAINST THE PLP THAT YOU ARE NOW RIDICULING THE JUSTICE FOR DOING HER JOB.LOOK AT YOU WANTING A BAHAMIAN TO AVOID DUE PROCESS BUT JUST GO TO AMERICA AND GO TO JAIL.THANK GOD FOR 2012 AS THE COUNTRY WILL BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT PERSONS LIKE YOU UTTERING NONSENSE.HOW ABOUT US HANGING YOU FOR TALKING RUBBISH/BE A MAN AND THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE.THE RULING BY THE COURT WAS FAIR DESPITE ATTEMPTS BY MANY TO INTIMIDATE THE COURTS.HURRAH TO THE GOOD JUSTICE WHO IS ALWAYS ABOVE THE FRAY.
@THE PLAYER
YEAH YOU UNDERSTAND….. They right here promoting she INNOCENT. The whole Trial over here will DEFIANTLY be a POLITICAL thing now therefore they must ship the trial to US of A let BAMA deal with Pleasent.
In all fairness…. Picewell Forbes shouldve never announce that her charges was dropped even if it was True….. The PLP has lost my respect for the OBVIOUS REASONS. THE PLP made this whole election case FNM vs PLP instead of RIGHT vs WRONG. Worst of all when Allison Maynard came to the convention they shout out TRAITOR, when her actions was THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
POINT BLANK:
1. Pleasent Bridgewater knowing THE LAW. Knowing what is RIGHT vs WRONg she shouldve NEVER let this go as far as it did. Tarrino Lightbourne who never studied law had more sense than her making her look like the “middle man”.
2. Alyson Maynard told her as a friend and political partners that what she was doing was WRONG. That was STRIKE TWO.
3. For her to even SHOW UP to the hotel room means that she was going on with what was planned was the FINAL STRIKE!
PICEWELL FORBES SHOULD NEVER EVER ADVERTISE HER EVEN IF SHE THE Juror’s was INNOCENT. Bahamians only think PLP vs FNM. I dont know what the Juror was thinking for them to be taking 6+ hours to SEND HER OFF TO FOX HILL PRISON.
OTHER THAN THAT…. I lost any respect for PLP and especially for THE GOVERNMENT (FNM) on this MATTER. They needs to send this trial to USA for Americans to convict Pleasent.
yo thats a lot lot of you know what he like to give shout outs he should not even be in the house but you see the PLP think they are above the law i don’t vote for them
You Perfect Guys have a heart.
I agree with Justice Allen’s ruling. I had a good laugh and felt sorry for him but I believe the PLP 51st convention along with those yellow shirts and pom poms have lasting memories for Picewell and I could only imagined the story being told to his grand and great grand children.
On a serious note, I think politicians and other media personnel learnt something from this.
God still reigns! God still reigns. Oh happy day!!
@Drama King
And worst of all it making THE BAHAMAS look bad Internationally.
Firstly, I thought Justice Allen would have at least let this joker pay some money. Secondly, I MUST BEG TO DIFFER on her point about him being a MEMBER OF THE FOURTH ESTATE, which is The Press. This joker is a mere Disc Jockey. He is NOT a member of the press!!! He spins records and talks crappola for a living. He might try to ACT like he is a member of the press but for the RECORD he is NOT!!
SHAME SHAME tsk tsk………. He should at-least cough up some cheddar.
BP post Picewell’s written apology before the Court and to the wider public.
FORBES: During my address at the 51st Progressive Liberal Party National Convention on Wednesday 21st October 2009, information was given to me that I did not verify which I communicated to the Convention and , via radio and television national broadcast, to the general public. The content of the communication was that Ms. Pleasant Bridgewater had been acquitted of the charges in the case R v. Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne.
My statements concerning the acquittal of Ms. Pleasant Bridgewater were not true, as the jury was still in deliberations.
My statements were reckless and interfered with the course of justice in that case and were further capable of bringing in to disrepute the whole administration of justice.
I take sole responsibility for my statements.
I hereby unequivocally and without qualifications offer my apology to Madame Senior Justice Anita Allen, in particular and to the entire Judiciary of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. I further offer my unqualified apology to the Bahamian people.
Picewell Forbes
Member of Parliament oof South Andros
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