It's a fine for the infamous Winston "Tanga" James who's out on bail tonight pending trial for two drug-related offenses.
This, after police, discovered weed and ammunition in the yard on Brown Street where he lives with his 19-year-old girlfriend - who is also pregnant. Reports from the courtroom tonight is that she tried to take the rap indicating a guilty plea to the charge of possession during the court's morning session and then backtracked in the afternoon to plead not guilty.
And at the arraignment, the duo were read three counts, one count of possession of control drugs, one count of possession of control drug with intent to supply, and one count of kept ammunition without being granted a gun license.
Here's how their attorney broke down this quote: "Mercurial case" at its conclusion this afternoon:
Orson "OJ" Elrington, Attorney-At-Law
"A significantly fluid situation, as you heard me describe it I called it a mercury situation, however, we were finally able to reach this afternoon where all parties plead innocent to the drug possession and the intent to distribute charges and Ms. Erica plead not guilty to the ammunition charge, however, Mr.James, in an effort to save the court time and resources and to save, and to ensure that Ms. Erica, who was pregnant, would not be confined as well, he pleaded guilty to the ammunition charges. We, therefore, had to submit a plea in mitigation on Mr. James' behalf to ensure that he, or to request the court to exercise its discretion and grant a fine as opposed to a custodial sentence. We were successfully able to do so. The court considered many different factors in coming to its decision some of which are submissions for why he deserved a non-custodial sentence or why we were requesting the court to exercise a non-custodial sentence was one, this is his first offense for which he is convicted for firearm or ammunition, it is that he is the sole breadwinner for his entire family, and also Mr. James has peculiar medical conditions which make the conditions inside the prison very life-threatening and so the court was willing to, accepted our submission and said that they were willing to grant him a fine as opposed to confinement however the court emphasized that it was a serious offense and that was reflected in the conditions that, a fine as well as the urgency, and the fact that the fine must be paid forthwith."
Tanga's conditions are reportedly asthma and a heart condition but despite these mitigating factors, the court raised a previous conviction for possession of a bulletproof vest.
Both James and his girlfriend were offered bail in the sum of $5,000 plus two sureties of $2,500.00 each which they were able to meet.
They are due back in court on February 7, 2022.
