KINGSHILL — In the courtroom of Magistrate Judge Yolan C. Brow-Ross will see three defendants at the Superior Court in Estate Kingshill on St. Croix this morning:
- Brian Roebuck is scheduled to appear for an advice-of-rights hearing after his arrest on vehicle tampering-related charges, specifically, 14 V.I. Code § 297(a) describes Assault in the third degree, specifically defining acts that constitute this crime, such as assaulting someone with intent to commit a felony, with a deadly weapon, or inflicting serious bodily injury, and outlining the potential penalties (fines/imprisonment) for such offenses. Title 14, § 1384(a) of the Virgin Islands Code deals with Damaging or tampering with a vehicle, making it a misdemeanor for anyone who, with intent and without right, damages a vehicle or its parts. This statute falls under the Vehicle Anti-Theft Act within Title 14 (Crimes) of the U.S. Virgin Islands Code, outlining offenses related to vehicle tampering and theft. 14 Virgin Islands Code § 622 deals with the crime of Disturbing the Peace; Fighting, falling under Title 14 (Crimes) Chapter 31 (Disorderly Conduct), making it illegal to disturb the peace or engage in fighting, often leading to charges alongside other offenses like bomb threats or harassment if combined with other illegal acts.
- Aaliyah Marius is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing after her arrest on domestic violence-related charges, specifically Title 14, Section 1266 of the Virgin Islands Code deals with the crime of Destruction of Other Property, a form of malicious mischief, penalizing anyone who maliciously injures or destroys real or personal property not their own, with penalties of fines, imprisonment, or both, as explained in this Justia Law page. The code section 16 Virgin Islands Code § 91(b) is a definition statute that enumerates the specific criminal acts that constitute domestic violence under Virgin Islands law. It does not define a single, standalone crime but rather a list of underlying crimes that, when committed in a domestic context, are classified as domestic violence offenses.
- Yahya K. Daniel, of Estate St. John on St. Croix, a former Virgin Islands Police Department officer, is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing after his arrest on first-degree murder charges, specifically 14 Virgin Islands Code § 922(a), which defines First-Degree Murder, specifically for killings that are willful, deliberate, and premeditated (like by poison, lying in wait, torture, bomb) or during another felony (arson, robbery, etc.). While Title 16 deals with Domestic Violence and related protections (like restraining orders), Title 14 is the core Criminal Code, and § 922 is clearly about murder definitions in court cases. Here’s a breakdown:
- Title 14, § 922(a): Defines First-Degree Murder in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Subsection (a)(1): Covers premeditated killings (poison, lying in wait, etc.).
- Subsection (a)(2): Covers felony murder (murder during arson, burglary, robbery, etc.).
EDITOR’S NOTE: VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte declined to comment on the arrest of former Virgin Islands Police Department officer Yahya K. Daniel of Estate St. John on the Island of St. Croix. Dratte put a block on a reporter’s phone number. Because the VIPD won’t comment, we’ve asked Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea for more information.
