Attorney Wendel Alexander Appeals 27-Year Sentence of Brittany Jno-Baptiste

Attorney Wendel Alexander has confirmed that the appeal process has begun for 24-year-old Brittany Jno-Baptiste, who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for the 2021 killing of 66-year-old Jane Finch.

“The sentence was too harsh, and there were a lot of inconsistencies in that conviction. I am challenging the conviction on the whole,” Alexander told Antigua.News.

He further explained that Antigua and Barbuda’s legislation allows for a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, but questioned how it applies when a person does not understand their actions.

“I don’t know if a person can be found guilty by reason of diminished responsibility if they don’t know the nature and quality of their act. It means they don’t know what they did was wrong… It makes no sense in law,” he argued.

Jno-Baptiste admitted to killing Finch at her Piccadilly home on October 4, 2021, while experiencing hallucinations. Evidence presented in court revealed that Finch was found lying in a pool of blood with a pliers lodged in her ear.

Psychiatrist Dr. James King, who testified for the defense, concluded that Jno-Baptiste suffered from Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder, which rendered her incapable of understanding her actions at the time. He also detailed her lifelong struggles with mental health issues, including dyslexia, ADHD, and social marginalization.

Jno-Baptiste’s family continues to insist that she was mentally unstable and that her condition should have been given greater consideration. Even if the appeal results in a reduced sentence, she is expected to remain incarcerated for many years.