Man killed in JFK housing community
Steelband Jamboree has packed stadium rocking
ST. THOMAS - Music, melody and beat filled Lionel Roberts Stadium on Sunday night as talented students wowed St. Thomas at the 2009 Carnival Steelband Jamboree.
Families and friends packed the stadium and they danced, clapped their hands and stamped their feet to the beat of hundreds of steelpans.
E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School principal Lydia Simmonds-Lettsome beamed a big smile as her students - the Steel Owls - belt out impressive tunes.
The students all sported cool black shades and showcased their talent and dedication to the steelpan art form.
"They're doing a wonderful job," she said.
A proud mom, Julie Todman, said her children - Kalil and Myles - were fantastic and that all the p
erformers put in a lot of effort in practicing for the event.
Joining the Steel Owls on Sunday night were a host of other performers, including Joseph Gomez Pan Busters, Antilles Hurricanes, Kirwan Terrace West Stars, Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays, Love City Pan Dragons, Ulla Muller Panatics, Bertha C. Boschulte Burning Blazers, Eudora Kean Devil Rays, Charlotte Amalie High School Mello Hawks, St. Thomas All Stars, Phoenix Sounds and V.I. Superior Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra.
Steelband Jamboree Chairman Eduardo Corneiro said the event is a chance to showcase local talent and to show just how hard the children worked throughout the year.
Lesilie Smith said he believes the performances get better each year.
"The music is tight," he said.
President of the Pan City Dragons group Ira Wade said the players were exceptional.
Boat races highlight day of fun
ST. THOMAS - Thousands of people crowded along the waterfront in downtown Charlotte Amalie on Sunday afternoon to watch some of the fastest boats in the region battle for victory in the 2009 Carnival Boat Races.
The speedy and sleek watercraft had the crowds mesmerized as they competed in several contests ranging from small jet skis to vessels touting up to 200 horsepower.
One favorite event, however, is the grease pole. The fun event involves a long pole pointing off the waterfront and into the water. It's greased up and contestants try to slip down it and snag a flag attached to the pole's end. Shamar Pemberton won the honors in that event, according to the water sports committee results.
It was a hot day on the waterfront and the apron was alive with people milling about eating johnny cakes and sipping ice-cold sodas and beer. Families brought out their lawn chairs and held aloft big umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun.
Jozette Samuel brought the whole family and all of them dressed in orange.
"We come down every year to see the boats," she said. "It is someplace to go on a Sunday afternoon."
St. Croix officer to be tried on murder charges today
ST. CROIX - Police Officer Jeffrey Browne, his wife and his brother-in-law will go on trial in V.I. Superior Court starting today in the murder of two men on Christmas Day 2007.
Judge Francis D'Eramo will preside over the trial of Browne, 29, Marcella Browne, 23, both of Estate Richmond, and Luis Melendez, 25, of Sion Farm.
Marcella Browne is out on bail while the two men are still incarcerated.
Jury selection will begin today in a trial that is expected to take weeks. The jurors will be sequestered for the duration of the trial.
Jeffrey Browne and Melendez are charged with two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, three counts of unauthorized use of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime of violence and unauthorized possession of ammunition.
The two are charged in the shooting spree just after midnight on Dec. 25, 2007, that fatally wounded 18-year-old Allen Burke of Tide Village and 33-year-old Kennyetta McIntosh of East Street, Christiansted. Four other people were injured in the attack, which took place in the vicinity of the playground in JFK housing community.
Browne, who had been on the force for six years at the time of the shooting, was on sick leave from the V.I. Police Department for five months after an injury to his leg, but following his arrest a week after the murder, he was placed on administrative leave without pay.
Melendez has been arrested a number of times. He was arrested just hours after the Christmas Day murders in connection with a Thanksgiving Day 2007 shooting in Estate Profit in which a man was injured. That case is still pending.
Melendez also was arrested in January 2005 on charges of first-degree aggravated rape and kidnapping after a 12-year-old girl reported to police that he and Nicholas Encarnacion abducted her while she was walking in Estate Richmond. That case was dismissed months later because of problems with evidence testing.
Marcella Browne, Browne's wife and Melendez's sister, was arrested Feb. 4, 2008, as an accessory after the fact. She admitted to police that she lied to investigators about what time the men arrived home the day of the shooting.
Court documents that would provide key information about the crime have been sealed.
Special Assistant Attorney General Alphonso Andrews and Assistant Attorney General Kip Roberson are prosecuting the case. Jeffrey Browne is represented by Andrew Capdeville, Bruce Bennett represents Melendez and Vincent Colliani Jr. is Marcella Browne's attorney.
ST. 
CROIX - A 25-year-old man was shot to death Sunday night in JFK housing community.
The shooting was reported just before 8 p.m., Police Department spokeswoman Melody Rames said.
Rames said emergency dispatchers received calls from several Christiansted residents reporting shots fired in JFK. When police officers and emergency medical technicians arrived in the community minutes late they found the body of a man on the ground near Building 7. Dozens of police officers responded to the scene, she said. The man had been shot several times.
The homicide is the 19th in the territory this year and the sixth on St. Croix.
Further information was not available.
Anyone with any information about the murder can call the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 712-6077 or 712-6037 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CROIX - A 25-year-old man was shot to death Sunday night in JFK housing community.The shooting was reported just before 8 p.m., Police Department spokeswoman Melody Rames said.
Rames said emergency dispatchers received calls from several Christiansted residents reporting shots fired in JFK. When police officers and emergency medical technicians arrived in the community minutes late they found the body of a man on the ground near Building 7. Dozens of police officers responded to the scene, she said. The man had been shot several times.
The homicide is the 19th in the territory this year and the sixth on St. Croix.
Further information was not available.
Anyone with any information about the murder can call the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 712-6077 or 712-6037 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Steelband Jamboree has packed stadium rockingST. THOMAS - Music, melody and beat filled Lionel Roberts Stadium on Sunday night as talented students wowed St. Thomas at the 2009 Carnival Steelband Jamboree.
Families and friends packed the stadium and they danced, clapped their hands and stamped their feet to the beat of hundreds of steelpans.
E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School principal Lydia Simmonds-Lettsome beamed a big smile as her students - the Steel Owls - belt out impressive tunes.
The students all sported cool black shades and showcased their talent and dedication to the steelpan art form.
"They're doing a wonderful job," she said.
A proud mom, Julie Todman, said her children - Kalil and Myles - were fantastic and that all the p
erformers put in a lot of effort in practicing for the event.Joining the Steel Owls on Sunday night were a host of other performers, including Joseph Gomez Pan Busters, Antilles Hurricanes, Kirwan Terrace West Stars, Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays, Love City Pan Dragons, Ulla Muller Panatics, Bertha C. Boschulte Burning Blazers, Eudora Kean Devil Rays, Charlotte Amalie High School Mello Hawks, St. Thomas All Stars, Phoenix Sounds and V.I. Superior Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra.
Steelband Jamboree Chairman Eduardo Corneiro said the event is a chance to showcase local talent and to show just how hard the children worked throughout the year.
Lesilie Smith said he believes the performances get better each year.
"The music is tight," he said.
President of the Pan City Dragons group Ira Wade said the players were exceptional.
Boat races highlight day of funST. THOMAS - Thousands of people crowded along the waterfront in downtown Charlotte Amalie on Sunday afternoon to watch some of the fastest boats in the region battle for victory in the 2009 Carnival Boat Races.
The speedy and sleek watercraft had the crowds mesmerized as they competed in several contests ranging from small jet skis to vessels touting up to 200 horsepower.
One favorite event, however, is the grease pole. The fun event involves a long pole pointing off the waterfront and into the water. It's greased up and contestants try to slip down it and snag a flag attached to the pole's end. Shamar Pemberton won the honors in that event, according to the water sports committee results.
It was a hot day on the waterfront and the apron was alive with people milling about eating johnny cakes and sipping ice-cold sodas and beer. Families brought out their lawn chairs and held aloft big umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun.
Jozette Samuel brought the whole family and all of them dressed in orange.
"We come down every year to see the boats," she said. "It is someplace to go on a Sunday afternoon."
St. Croix officer to be tried on murder charges todayST. CROIX - Police Officer Jeffrey Browne, his wife and his brother-in-law will go on trial in V.I. Superior Court starting today in the murder of two men on Christmas Day 2007.
Judge Francis D'Eramo will preside over the trial of Browne, 29, Marcella Browne, 23, both of Estate Richmond, and Luis Melendez, 25, of Sion Farm.
Marcella Browne is out on bail while the two men are still incarcerated.
Jury selection will begin today in a trial that is expected to take weeks. The jurors will be sequestered for the duration of the trial.
Jeffrey Browne and Melendez are charged with two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, three counts of unauthorized use of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime of violence and unauthorized possession of ammunition.
The two are charged in the shooting spree just after midnight on Dec. 25, 2007, that fatally wounded 18-year-old Allen Burke of Tide Village and 33-year-old Kennyetta McIntosh of East Street, Christiansted. Four other people were injured in the attack, which took place in the vicinity of the playground in JFK housing community.
Browne, who had been on the force for six years at the time of the shooting, was on sick leave from the V.I. Police Department for five months after an injury to his leg, but following his arrest a week after the murder, he was placed on administrative leave without pay.
Melendez has been arrested a number of times. He was arrested just hours after the Christmas Day murders in connection with a Thanksgiving Day 2007 shooting in Estate Profit in which a man was injured. That case is still pending.
Melendez also was arrested in January 2005 on charges of first-degree aggravated rape and kidnapping after a 12-year-old girl reported to police that he and Nicholas Encarnacion abducted her while she was walking in Estate Richmond. That case was dismissed months later because of problems with evidence testing.
Marcella Browne, Browne's wife and Melendez's sister, was arrested Feb. 4, 2008, as an accessory after the fact. She admitted to police that she lied to investigators about what time the men arrived home the day of the shooting.
Court documents that would provide key information about the crime have been sealed.
Special Assistant Attorney General Alphonso Andrews and Assistant Attorney General Kip Roberson are prosecuting the case. Jeffrey Browne is represented by Andrew Capdeville, Bruce Bennett represents Melendez and Vincent Colliani Jr. is Marcella Browne's attorney.
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