Two Greiggs women jailed for slashing teenager's face

Paige Baptiste and Lesha Johnson, both from Greiggs, appeared in the High Court before Judge Rickie Burnett on Tuesday June 12, 2024, where together they were sentenced to just over 15 years in prison for wounding with intent. The offense was committed on January 29, 2020 in Greiggs against Ziannie Charles, who was 16 years old at the time of the offense.

Two Greiggs women, who forced another woman to undergo surgery after cutting her in the face and stabbing her in the forehead, have been sentenced to a total of more than 15 years in prison.

Paige Baptiste, then aged 17, and Lesha Johnson, then aged 20, both from Greiggs, appeared in the High Court before Judge Rickie Burnett on Tuesday June 12, 2024, where they were together sentenced to just more than 15 years in prison for intentional injury. The offense was committed on January 29, 2020 in Greiggs against Ziannie Charles, who was 16 years old at the time of the offense.

The facts indicate that on the date in question, between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Charles went to his friend Sabisha Benson's house to ask for help in going to the Biabou Police Station to file a report against Johnson and Baptiste. She was accompanied by a few friends, including Kia Haywood and Aboni Edwards.

While waiting for the ride on Benson's porch, Baptiste and Johnson along with two friends, Malika and Lavene, walked down the road toward Charles and his friends. Baptiste and Johnson stopped at a 3D booth located in a courtyard near Benson's porch. When they left the stand and walked past Benson's porch, Baptiste began “throwing words” at Charles, saying, “Murdoo ah war, put a pickney on the lap and feed them, nah, come on a road, and look, no, ah, you want me. »

Charles replied, “Well, no.” Baptiste and Johnson continued to walk down the road making threatening remarks that Charles had to pass her gate to get home, and when she did she would beat her with a shovel, and that she better take a another path instead. Baptiste and Johnson went to Baptiste's house, retrieved a cutlass and returned to the road.

Meanwhile, Charles and his friends joined another friend, Akeem Fergus, sitting on the steps of Maxine Nero. There, Baptiste and Johnson returned, and Baptiste was armed with a cutlass in her right hand, while Johnson had a knife. Baptiste went directly to the steps where Charles was and stood in front of her, while Johnson stood behind her.

Baptiste said to Charles, “Look at me now, do to me what you say you'll do to me,” to which Charles replied, “Well, Paige, do to me what you want, do to me.” Baptiste pushed Charles, causing him to make contact with Johnson, who then latched onto Charles. A fight then ensues. During the fight, Baptiste “planned” Charles with the cutlass, while Johnson threw stabbing blows at him, one of which caused a wound to Charles' forehead.

As the fight continued, Baptiste held the cutlass in an attempt to stab Charles. However, her friend Malika pushed her, causing her to fall and the cutlass fell from her hands. When Baptiste got up she saw that Charles had the upper hand in the fight, she pushed Malika, telling her to move because she had to cut Charles in the face.

Baptiste raised the cutlass and struck Charles in the face. As a result, Charles was hospitalized and had to undergo surgery to repair the injuries she sustained, which healed with a permanent scar.

Investigations were carried out into the matter and Baptiste and Johnson were arrested. In an interview, the two young women recounted the attack. Baptiste said she confronted Charles with a cutlass and threw it at his back while Charles and Johnson fought. At one point, Baptiste was about to stab Charles with the cutlass but Melicia pulled her away.

The women were initially charged with attempted murder. However, the charge was reduced to intentional wounding. In sentencing, Judge Burnett found that Charles had suffered physical and psychological harm. Charles was depressed, especially when taking selfies, and resorted to marijuana to manage her depression.

Charles received a six-inch laceration from the right side of his nose to his left eye. She also received multiple injuries to her face and wrist. Judge Burnett said the injuries had left scars on his body “which will remain for a lifetime”.

In his victim impact statement, Charles said people would ask him to take off his glasses so they could see the scar on his face. “I hate it. Every time I see the scar, I instantly become depressed. It's a constant reminder of how I almost lost my sight,” Charles said. The maximum penalty for this offense is imprisonment life imprisonment, or 30 years in prison.

Judge Burnett found that a knife and cutlass were used to commit the crime. He also found that the offense was premeditated and that there was a threat of violence. Therefore, he began to sentence both defendants to 18 years in prison. The fact that the offense was committed in the presence of others aggravated the offense.

The offense was mitigated by the fact that there was significant provocation against Baptiste, so his sentence was reduced by three years. However, Johnson's sentence remained the same. Baptiste and Johnson had no aggravating circumstances. Their good morals, remorse and lack of maturity were mitigating. Therefore, four years were deducted from their two sentences.

Taking into account the guidelines for offenders under the age of 18, Baptiste received a 2/3 reduction in his sentence. She was therefore sentenced to seven years and four months in prison. Johnson's sentence was reduced by five years to reflect his criminality in this case and to provide justice overall. She was therefore sentenced to nine years in prison.

The women had already spent three months and 14 days in pre-trial detention. Therefore, Johnson will serve a remaining sentence of eight years, eight months and 16 days in prison, while Baptiste will serve a remaining sentence of seven years and 16 days in prison.