The Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, USVI where suspects Jamaley and Michael Hamilton participated in the advisement hearing Fri. Feb. 25, 2022. The V.I.P.D. has not provided mugshots of the suspects. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT/ V.I. CONSORTIUM
ST. THOMAS — Two tourists visiting St. Thomas from mainland USA are accused of a brutal physical assault against a local car rental employee.
Jamaley and Michael Hamilton must now seek court permission to return home after both were charged with simple assault and battery and disturbance of the peace. They were arrested on Thursday afternoon after a police officer requested backup in relation to a group of individuals fighting.
Court documents reveal that the victim of the assault is the property manager of a local car rental. The woman told police that the accused and their relatives returned two vehicles they previously rented and began creating a disturbance over a requested refund. However, according to the employee, a refund was not granted because upon return of the vehicles she observed damages.
According to the woman, a verbal dispute ensued and although she tried to calm the family down, they continued to verbally assault the employees of the establishment. The property manager then began to record the disturbance and a family member reportedly launched at her and knocked her phone from her hand, resulting in a physical altercation. In her statement to police, the victim recounted that although everything happened quickly, she recalled being dragged across the floor. She also remembered Jamaley Hamilton striking her with his fist and kicking her to the upper body. Another employee then intervened to separate the altercation and police units arrived shortly after.
The officer who requested backup stated that while in the area of the car rental she overheard a verbal altercation between several unidentified people. According to the officer, she observed several persons punching the victim simultaneously and subsequently called for additional police assistance. Police later reviewed camera footage of the incident where Jamaley Hamilton was seen kicking the property manager to her upper body. Micheal Hamilton was identified as the individual who initiated the fight by swinging his hand at the car rental employee and knocking her phone out of her hand. The two were arrested but later released on the posting of bail in the amount of $1,000 each.
Both men appeared virtually for their joint advisement hearing on Friday and the court was informed that they were appearing from the airport. Attorney Andy Johnson explained that the pair were in St. Thomas for Jamaley Hamilton’s wedding and were scheduled to leave on Friday. While Jamaley Hamilton has no prior contact with the criminal justice system, Michael Hamilton has had previous arrests on marijuana-related charges.
Attorney Johnson stressed that while he was not requesting a reduction in the bail amounts, he was asking that no travel restrictions be imposed upon the defendants. According to Johnson, there was absolutely no reason for such restrictions, particularly since the pair had already signed waivers of extradition. Despite Johnson’s arguments, Judge Paula Norkaitis concluded that while the men would be allowed to continue their release on the previously posted bail, they are not permitted to leave the territory without written permission from the court.
Norkaitis ruled that both men must immediately surrender their travel documents to the court and that the court will consider allowing them to leave once the appropriate motions are filed requesting permission to travel.
According to Norkaitis, the court is extremely concerned and disturbed by the allegations against the men. She further noted that there is extreme risk that once they leave the jurisdiction they will never return to face the charges against them. While Assistant V.I. Attorney General Brenda Scales highlighted that the men have no substantial ties to the territory, their defense attorney argued that they were tourists. In response, the judge affirmed that they were tourists accused of committing crimes in the Virgin Islands. Although Attorney Johnson attempted to argue against the travel restrictions by emphasizing that the men were currently at the airport, Norkaitis abruptly replied “actions have consequences!”
In addition to the imposed travel restrictions, the men have also been ordered to remain 25 feet away from the victim of their assault. They are also prohibited from going to the business establishment.
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