SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Court of Appeal has sentenced all three defendants in the fatal shooting outside the Gentlemen’s Club in Defiance to 12 years in prison for co-perpetration of manslaughter and illegal firearm possession. Time spent in pre-trial detention will be deducted from each sentence. The Court rendered its judgment on October 19, 2026.
The shooting took place on April 13, 2025, after a confrontation linked to a longer-running conflict. The Court traced the dispute to allegations involving a stolen chain and missing car parts. At the club, an argument about the missing car parts developed between D.S.M. and A.M.E.C. on one side, and the victim and his friend on the other. A.M.E.C. loaded his firearm and challenged the victim to come outside.
As the victim left on his scooter and rode toward the exit, A.M.E.C. followed and challenged him to stop before firing once. The victim fled, leaving his scooter behind.
A.A.A.C. and D.S.M. moved toward the exit and took positions on either side, with views of the scooter and the victim’s escape route. When the victim returned to his scooter and tried to ride away, A.A.A.C. fired several times in his direction. The victim fell and fled on foot. D.S.M., positioned on an elevated wall, continued firing toward him.
The Court found that all three defendants fired toward the victim within about 30 seconds and had acted in close and coordinated cooperation. It could not establish which shot caused the victim’s death but found that each defendant made a significant contribution to the attack.
The Court rejected their self-defense arguments, finding that they had initiated and carried out an attack.
The Court of First Instance had convicted two defendants of attempted manslaughter and illegal firearm possession, sentencing each to eight years in prison. The third defendant was acquitted of attempted manslaughter but convicted of illegal firearm possession and sentenced to three years.
The Court of First Instance found that it could not establish who fired the fatal shot or that the defendants had collaborated in causing the victim’s death.
On appeal, the Court found all three guilty of co-perpetration of manslaughter. In setting the sentences, it considered the defendants’ young ages and lack of previous convictions for similar offences. It also pointed to the seriousness of the fatal shooting, the danger to bystanders at a public location, and the wider impact of firearm violence in Sint Maarten.
