Haiti - FLASH : Florida Supreme Court upholds Haitian death sentence
On Wednesday, January 2, the 7 members of the Florida Supreme Court in a final opinion of 38 pages confirmed the sentence on appeal of 6 death sentences against Mesac Damas (42 years) native of Port-au-Prince, sentenced to death in October 2017 by Collier County Judge Christine Greider after confessing the murder of his wife and 5 children in September 2009. This final judgment puts an end to an affair more than 8 years old.
During his appeal, Damascus raised numerous errors, which the Supreme Court ultimately found to be without foundation. He also questioned the constitutionality of the death sentence, claiming that it violated the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution, but Since there has been no change in the Florida law that allows capital punishment, the challenge has failed.
Recall that in September 2009 Damascus savagely killed in North Naples, in the family home, his wife, Guerline Dieu Damas, 32, and his five children: Michzach, 9, Marven, 6, Maven, 5, Megan , 3 years and Morgan 11 months, cutting their throats. At the time, Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk described the killings as "the most horrific and violent event in the history of the County." After the murder Mesac Damascus fled to Port-au-Prince where he was born and raised, where he was arrested 3 days later by the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and extradited and handed over to American justice.
Throughout his incarceration and court appearances, Damascus focused on God and religion, as well as on spirits and demons, claiming that he was possessed by demons at the time of the crime and imploring the death. Damascus waived its right to a jury trial and pleaded guilty to all charges. He had also waived his right to have his lawyers present evidence of extenuating circumstances.
