A judge on Friday sentenced a mentally challenged man to five years for robbing an Alaskan family who was vacationing on Long Island.
Jefferson Delancy, 34, was convicted in February of breaking into a villa at the Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort and robbing the Roazma family from Anchorage, Alaska, of $140 and a rental car in December 2009.
Justice Roy Jones took Delancy’s mental disability into account when he sentenced him to two concurrent five-year sentences for armed robbery and burglary. However, Delancy only has about a year remaining on his sentence as he already spent 40 months in custody.
Jones said it was apparent that the armed robbery was planned.
Delancy did not give evidence at his trial. Instead, he relied on the expert evidence of clinical psychologist Dr. Harry Ferere, who said Delancy had an IQ of 61.
His lawyer, Dorsey McPhee, contended that someone with Delancy’s mental capacity could not make the coherent confession statement that police alleged he gave them.
However, during questioning by Terry Archer, the prosecutor, Ferere said Delancy was capable of answering questions.
Despite his mental challenges, Delancy worked as a police reservist and farmer.
In the statement, Delancy outlined the decision to rob and the execution of the plan. According to the statement, the robbery was his brother-in-law’s idea.
Delancy said he confessed because “he wanted to come clean because he made a mistake”. Delancy reportedly said where he discarded his mask and hooded jacket.
Police did not hold an identification parade in the matter because the culprit’s face was hidden by the mask.
In the Bahamas, most murderers, rapists and armed robbers almost never get five years in prison, because they know the right politicians.
Mr. Delancy obviously had no such connections.
By Artesia Davis
Guardian Senior Reporter
