Press Releases

DOJ Medical Examiner’s Office: Khadeem W. DeSilvia Represents USVI at IACME 2025 Conference

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands – The V.I. Department of Justice (DOJ) proudly congratulates Khadeem W. DeSilvia, Medicolegal Death Investigator with the DOJ Office of the Medical Examiner, for attending and presenting at the 2025 International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME) Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV, from July 19-24, 2025.

Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea Joins Bipartisan Coalition Supporting Federal Cannabis Banking Reform

U.S. Virgin Islands – V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea today joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in calling on Congress to pass the SAFER Banking Act of 2025. The coalition submitted a letter to congressional leaders urging passage of legislation that would provide legal clarity for banks and financial institutions to serve state-regulated cannabis businesses, addressing critical public safety concerns while improving states’ ability to collect taxes and conduct regulatory oversight.

Department of Justice Hosts Critical Training for the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Virgin Islands Police Department

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – In a strategic effort to enhance trial preparation and prosecution effectiveness, the Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ), St. Croix Criminal Division, hosted a specialized Trial Academy for the Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) on July 11th. The academy, aimed at both detectives and attorneys, focused on preparing key law enforcement personnel for successful trial outcomes by providing intensive training in trial advocacy, evidence presentation, and courtroom procedures.

DOJ Announces Conviction in Criminal Trial: People of the Virgin Islands v. Daryl Jean-Baptiste

U.S. Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that 26-year-old Daryl Jean-Baptiste has been found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with a 2019 fatal car crash. The verdict followed a three-day trial, which concluded on July 23, 2025, before the Honorable Judge Yvette Ross Edwards in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix District.