Security Guard Sentenced to Over 16 Years for Murder of Homeless Man in 2019

Kingston, Jamaica — Martin Powell, the security guard caught on camera beating a man of unsound mind to death in August 2019, was on Tuesday sentenced to 22 years in prison. However, after considerations for mitigating factors and time already served, Powell will spend 16 years and 11 months behind bars.

The sentencing was delivered by Supreme Court judge Justice Carolyn Tie-Powell, who described Powell’s actions as “truly horrendous” and a stark “contrast” to the otherwise commendable character outlined in community reports.

Powell, a resident of Mount Salus in Stony Hill, St Andrew, was stationed at the Coconut Industry Board premises on Waterloo Road when the incident occurred. Security camera footage showed Powell striking the unidentified man on the head, back, and neck some 16 times before dragging the body to the entrance of the premises. The homeless man, who had wandered onto the property, was declared dead shortly after.

Justice Tie-Powell initially arrived at a sentence of 28 years, citing aggravating factors, including Powell’s role as a security guard—someone expected to act responsibly—and the excessive violence inflicted on a vulnerable victim. However, mitigating factors, such as Powell’s lack of premeditation, his guilty plea at the first opportunity, and positive community reports, led to a reduction of the sentence to 22 years.

Further deductions were applied for Powell’s early guilty plea and time served in custody, ultimately bringing the sentence down to 16 years and 11 months. He will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years.

“What was done was egregious, a life has been lost,” Justice Tie-Powell stated, as Powell, dressed in a blue T-shirt and off-white jeans, sat quietly with his head bowed throughout the half-hour hearing.

The killing of the homeless man in 2019 highlighted the ongoing issue of violent attacks against homeless individuals in Jamaica. Since Powell’s case, several similar attacks have occurred:

• January 2021: Six homeless men were attacked in Kingston, resulting in four deaths.

• August 2022: Five juveniles were charged with setting Lionel Johnson on fire near National Heroes’ Circle. Johnson later succumbed to severe burns.

• April 2023: Lee Donald, a man of unsound mind, was stabbed to death in Port Antonio, Portland.

• September 2023: Ronaldo Ricketts was charged with the murders of four homeless men in Montego Bay.

• December 2023: Rushawn Bulgin received a 20-year sentence for the bludgeoning death of Matthew Lettman in Montego Bay.

The spate of attacks has raised concerns over the treatment and safety of homeless individuals across the island, prompting efforts such as the Government’s addition of 150 beds to a downtown Kingston shelter in 2021.