KINGSHILL — Superior Court Magistrate Judge Yolan C. Brow-Ross is scheduled to see four defendants in her courtroom in Estate Kingshill on St. Croix this morning:
Elijah Drew has an advice-of-rights hearing after his arrest on domestic violence assault charges, court records show, specifically Virgin Islands Code Title 14, § 296 which defines Assault in the Second Degree, a crime involving willfully poisoning substances, strangling someone in domestic violence, or throwing corrosive substances with intent to injure or disfigure another person. This statute covers various malicious acts intended to harm individuals, detailing specific scenarios under this assault charge.
Key Actions Covered by V.I. Code § 296:
- Poisoning: Mingling poison with food, drink, or medicine, or poisoning a water source.
- Strangulation: Attempting to strangle someone during an act of domestic violence.
- Corrosives: Throwing or placing vitriol, hot water, or other chemicals to injure flesh or disfigure.
For more details, you can refer to Justia Law.
16 Virgin Islands Code (V.I.C.) § 91 (b) defines the crime of Domestic Violence.
Under this statute, domestic violence is defined as the occurrence of any of the following acts, attempts, or threats against a person protected under the law (such as a spouse, former spouse, household member, or intimate partner):
- Assault
- Battery
- Burglary
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful sexual contact
- Rape
- Forcible or unlawful entry
- Coercion
- Destruction of property
- Harassment
- Threats
- False imprisonment
- Stalking
- Violation of a restraining order
This section establishes that domestic violence is a criminal act in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Other defendants scheduled for hearings include: Joshawn Ayala, Terrance Vidale and Lafayette Arist Jr.