bahamiangoddess
04-21-08, - 01:09 PM
April 21st, 2008
“Ninety” Pre-Sentencing Report Expected
By Macushla N. Pinder
As US officials pursue their case against accused drug traffickers Keva and Dwight Major, a US probation office is expected to next week hand over its pre-sentencing investigation report on convicted drug trafficker Samuel "Ninety" Knowles.
According to Knowles’ US attorney Jacob Rose, the report will outline recommendations on how long his client should spend in jail.
The probation office is also expected to recommend a fine – that is, how much Knowles is required to pay and other conditions, including the terms of his probation following release.
"I will have an opportunity to object to any portion of the report, including the recommended sentence," Mr. Rose told the Bahama Journal from his Florida office.
Knowles was extradited from The Bahamas in August 2006 on federal narcotics charges after spending six years in Her Majesty’s Prison fighting extradition.
According to the evidence, he was a participant in a conspiracy between 1995 and 1996 to import several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States using "go fast" vessels.
Knowles and his co-conspirators reportedly used various routes through the Caribbean to facilitate their importation scheme.
A jury last month found him guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in the United States between June 1995 and April 1996.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of $13.9 million, which represents the money received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of narcotics, according to US officials.
Knowles faces a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment on each count.
His legal team had sought an acquittal in the case based on the argument that the US never had jurisdiction to try him.
Mr. Rose has also pointed to the fact that his client was extradited from The Bahamas while he had a pending habeas corpus petition.
The attorney also believes the delay in extraditing Knowles was "too long" and violated his right to a speedy trial.
In an earlier interview with the Journal, Mr. Rose argued that a number of individuals charged with Knowles had passed away and that the availability of witnesses "was extremely scarce."
Mr. Rose has since filed a notice of appeal with Atlanta’s 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Rose has expressed confidence that the appellate court would rule in his client’s favour.
"The case law from this 11th Circuit has been very supportive of granting dismissals where there had been delays as lengthy as the ones in our case," he said in an earlier interview with the Journal.
On Friday, it not yet been decided whether the appeal would be heard.
“Ninety” Pre-Sentencing Report Expected
By Macushla N. Pinder
As US officials pursue their case against accused drug traffickers Keva and Dwight Major, a US probation office is expected to next week hand over its pre-sentencing investigation report on convicted drug trafficker Samuel "Ninety" Knowles.
According to Knowles’ US attorney Jacob Rose, the report will outline recommendations on how long his client should spend in jail.
The probation office is also expected to recommend a fine – that is, how much Knowles is required to pay and other conditions, including the terms of his probation following release.
"I will have an opportunity to object to any portion of the report, including the recommended sentence," Mr. Rose told the Bahama Journal from his Florida office.
Knowles was extradited from The Bahamas in August 2006 on federal narcotics charges after spending six years in Her Majesty’s Prison fighting extradition.
According to the evidence, he was a participant in a conspiracy between 1995 and 1996 to import several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States using "go fast" vessels.
Knowles and his co-conspirators reportedly used various routes through the Caribbean to facilitate their importation scheme.
A jury last month found him guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in the United States between June 1995 and April 1996.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of $13.9 million, which represents the money received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of narcotics, according to US officials.
Knowles faces a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment on each count.
His legal team had sought an acquittal in the case based on the argument that the US never had jurisdiction to try him.
Mr. Rose has also pointed to the fact that his client was extradited from The Bahamas while he had a pending habeas corpus petition.
The attorney also believes the delay in extraditing Knowles was "too long" and violated his right to a speedy trial.
In an earlier interview with the Journal, Mr. Rose argued that a number of individuals charged with Knowles had passed away and that the availability of witnesses "was extremely scarce."
Mr. Rose has since filed a notice of appeal with Atlanta’s 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Rose has expressed confidence that the appellate court would rule in his client’s favour.
"The case law from this 11th Circuit has been very supportive of granting dismissals where there had been delays as lengthy as the ones in our case," he said in an earlier interview with the Journal.
On Friday, it not yet been decided whether the appeal would be heard.