Hamlet was a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a small island nation in the eastern Caribbean. 

Douglas Hamlet was convicted of murder in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and, under the country's mandatory sentencing guidelines, was sentenced to death by hanging.

The case quickly drew scrutiny, both locally and internationally, due to the thin nature of the evidence presented at trial. The only piece of evidence reportedly used to convict Hamlet was the eyewitness testimony of a 14-year-old girl, who claimed she saw Hamlet committing the murder from a distance of approximately 150 to 220 yards.

Notably, the incident occurred during poor weather conditions, described as a rainy day, which raised questions about the visibility and reliability of the witness account. No forensic or physical evidence was presented to support the claim, and no corroborating witnesses were introduced.

Despite maintaining his innocence until the moment of his death, and despite the growing public concern over the fairness of the trial, Hamlet was executed by hanging on February 13, 1995.