The defence attorney for convicted killer Stephen ‘Die’ Stubbs made a final plea to save his client’s life yesterday.

The Crown is seeking the death penalty for Stubbs and his two co-accused, Andrew Davis and Clinton Evans.

In August, the trio was found guilty of the 1999 murder of police constable Jimmy Ambrose.

It was expected that final submissions would be made and a sentence would be handed down yesterday morning.
But, that wasn’t the case.

In a bid to keep his client off death row, Stubbs’ attorney Murrio Ducille said the entire trial process has been “prejudicial.”

He said from its inception, there have been heavily armed officers outside the courts making it seem as though Osama bin Laden were on trial.

The attorney said the death penalty should only be sought in cases where there is no hope for reform.

Mr. Ducille pointed to Stubbs’ probation report which showed that the convicted murderer had “passed with flying colours.”
He then went on to explain that his client has an unqualified right to life that should not be taken away because of his murder conviction.

The attorney said the conviction does not necessarily mean he is guilty.

According to Mr. Ducille “to get the death penalty, one must be shown to be one of the worst offenders and have committed one of the most heinous crimes” and Stubbs, he said, falls in neither category.

Earlier in the day, the court heard from Assistant Superintendent in charge of the Criminal Records Office, Stewart Curtis, who spoke to the three men’s criminal history.

According to Superintendent Curtis, Stubbs had been convicted five times, dating as far back as 1995.

But as Mr. Ducille pointed out that since 1995, other than the murder trial, Stubbs had no other matter before the Supreme Court.

Attorneys for the other two men will make their submissions this morning.