HAMILTON, Bermuda, Mar 15, CMC – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to 35 years in jail after he was convicted of murdering a fellow Bermudian outside a popular sports club in 2015.
Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons said Shantoine Burrows showed “some premeditation” in committing the murder of Rickai Swan, 26, and displayed the “mind-set of a person intent on killing”.
She described video capturing the murder played during his trial as “chilling”.
Swan was gunned down outside the Southampton Rangers Sports Club — a team he grew up playing football for — in October 2015.
Burrows must serve a minimum sentence of 25 years for the murder and the judge said his 10-year sentence for use of a firearm in committing the murder does not start until after the 25 years.
Burrows was convicted last October of the fatal shooting of Swan, who was socialising with friends outside of the club. A jury found Burrows unanimously guilty of the charges last year and he was remanded in custody. He was also found guilty of injuring Damiko Gibbons.
Crown counsel Nicole Smith described the murder as a “public execution”, which displayed “no mitigating circumstances”.
She described Burrows as “not a man of good character”, devoid of respect for the law or remorse for his crime.
But in addressing the court, Burrows maintained his innocence.
“I still stand before you an innocent man,” he said, adding “justice wasn’t served.”