The killing of Shantel Whyte and the absence of justice
Alton Whyte, the father of Shantel ‘Shanny’ Whyte, is longing for the day when he can get justice for his daughter’s death, but, for now, that day seems a long way off. On Christmas Eve 2019, Shantel was shot dead at a popular supermarket in Mandeville, Manchester by Andre Bromfield. December 31 of this year will mark two years since the killing happened and the case is still on trial.
Whyte expressed his frustration with how the trial was being delayed by the rescheduling of court hearings and felt as though no progress was being made.
Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, in his address to the nation in 2019, spoke about the practice of delays in the court system which, unless necessary, would not be accommodated. Having certain hearing dates, he said would translate into having “excellent courts”. “We must get to the point where matters begin on the day they are scheduled and move away from the culture of multiple adjournments and mention dates,” he said.
But what Whyte sees happening in his daughter’s case is far from being ideal. “From mi go a the case [court hearing] two time, mi nuh badda go back cause mi a realize seh a bay put it a put off. Like, a waste it a waste mi time,” he lamented. He added, “Is like it not getting nowhere. It nah get nowhere to me because you done know them have the man as the murderer. Them know seh a him commit the crime already and yet still them have him there fi eat taxpayer money just like that.”
Whyte is struggling to understand why it is taking so long for Bromfield to be sentenced. “The case weh happen after fi her death, the one down by St Elizabeth that complete. The case try and done. So what happen to Shanny own?” he questioned, referring to a similar incident that happened shortly after his daughter’s death.
On 12 January 2020, Nevia Sinclair was stabbed to death in her bedroom by her ex-boyfriend, Jermaine Miller, who entered her family home through an unlocked window. On 15 July 2021, approximately 18 months after her killing, Miller was sentenced to life in prison with an additional 13 years for burglary, both sentences to run concurrently.
Bromfield’s last court hearing was on 2 November and his next is scheduled for 16 May 2022, according to information obtained from the Manchester Parish Court office by the Jamaica Monitor. The Jamaica Monitor was unsuccessful in obtaining all of the court hearing dates for Bromfield’s trial in the Manchester Circuit Court.
