Bryan submits FY 2025 budget, nominates Ernest E. Morris to Superior Court and grants clemency to five

Government House said on June 3 that Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. had submitted the Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget to the 35th Legislature and nominated Magistrate Ernest E. Morris to serve on the Virgin Islands Superior Court.

At the weekly briefing, Communications Director Richard Motta Jr. also said Bryan had granted clemency to five people.

Alexander Viust, 51, had his sentence commuted after serving 28 years for first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Denise Donovan, 64, had her sentence commuted after serving 20 years for a first-degree offense identified in the statement only as "First-Degree." Michael K. Davis, 50, had his sentence commuted after serving eight years for third-degree assault and unauthorized use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

Latoya Nicole Smith, 27, was pardoned for a third-degree assault conviction after completing incarceration and supervised probation in 2019. Kevin Allong, 53, was pardoned for an accessory-after-the-fact-to-murder conviction after completing his incarceration in 1996.

Motta said Bryan also proposed legislation to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes and allow judges more discretion in sentencing.

During the same briefing, Health Department Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tai Hunte Caesar and Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training officer in charge Major Mu Zhang provided an update on the Department of Health's Health and Wellness Fair, which Government House said was scheduled to continue through June 9 on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-submits-fy-2025-budget-grants-clemency-to-five/