Emanuel Greer of Calabash Boom, St John, US Virgin Islands, was on March 22, 2018 sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for an ear-biting incident that occurred a little less than two years ago. Photo: Internet Source/File

Greer, 47, a mugshot of whom was not provided by the Department of Justice (DOJ) nor the [US] Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), was punished on the single charge of mayhem, 10 months after a jury convicted him of biting off a piece of Akeimo Williams’ right ear, leaving him permanently disfigured, according to the release. “This matter has changed my life tremendously and forever,” Williams told the court at Greer’s sentencing. “Even at nights I can’t sleep on my ear because it’s uncomfortable; I still feel pain at times.”

As Greer has had two prior felony convictions, Attorney General Claude Earl E. Walker recommended that he be sentenced under the Habitual Offender Act and be imprisoned for 20 years, the DOJ said.

“When we aggressively prosecute cases like this, we are telling the criminal element that the good people of the Virgin Islands will never become accustomed to destructive behaviour,” Walker said. “We will not only reserve our outrage for murder cases, but also for cases such as this where the defendant has permanently altered the victim’s life in a disfiguring and harmful way.”

No years without parole

In handing down her sentence, Judge Mackay told Greer that as he is subject to the Habitual Offender Statute because of his two previous convictions, he will be sentenced to 10 years’ incarceration without being eligible for probation, parole or early release and that no portion of his sentence is suspended.

According to Williams’ testimony at trial, on the morning of June 4, 2016, he was on the ferry traveling to St John. Greer was also aboard the boat pacing back and forth and talking aloud to himself. Williams and Greer exchanged words after Greer told Williams and another man that their voices were bothering him. Greer threatened to throw Williams over the boat and drown him.

When the boat docked in St John, Williams disembarked the vessel and as he was walking to work, Greer attacked him, latched onto his ear four times, growled like a dog and bit into his ear until a portion of his ear came off, Williams told the court.

Williams was taken to Myrah Keating Clinic for treatment; however, doctors were unable to reattach the piece to his ear, according to court documents.

When given the opportunity to address the court on his own behalf, Greer said he was “truly sorry for the problems I caused this court.”

Immediately after he was sentenced, Greer was taken into custody and remanded to the Bureau of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.

Assistant Attorney General Nadja Harrigan argued the case for the prosecution.