30 murder trials to be heard as Criminal Assizes gets under way

Sixty-one criminal matters and seven sentencing hearings are set to be heard at the High Court’s Criminal Assizes.{{more}}

The Assizes, which will be held in two courts simultaneously, will be presided over by Justices Frederick Bruce-Lyle and Wesley James.

The prosecution will have a full plate, as 30 murder trials are scheduled to be heard, along with six retrials.

Down for sentencing at this Assizes are local businessman Antonio ‘Que Pasa’ Gellizeau and Bermudian Winston Robinson. Both men were convicted on March 9, 2012 of the biggest money laundering case ever in the OECS, in relation to US$1,733,463 (EC$4,628,346) which was found on the yacht “Jotobin” on April 5, 2008, at Calliaqua.

Redemption Sharpes residents Jabari Charles, 23, labourer, and Romano Pompey will be sentenced in relation to charges of manslaughter, unlawful use of firearm, wounding with intent and possession of firearm with intent to commit an offence.

Pompey pleaded guilty at the last assizes to causing the death of Esron ‘Banks’ Ells, which took place on June 18, 2010.

Ells, 22, also of Redemption Sharpes, died shortly after 10 p.m. on June 18, 2010, after he was gunned down in the area of the National Broadcasting Corporation building at Richmond Hill, following an altercation with some men on Halifax Street in the area of the Postal Corporation building.

Ells, who sustained a gunshot wound to his right cheek, died on his way to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Police Constable Rohan McDowall will also have his day in court. He is charged with the murder of fellow officer Constable Kingsley John on August 7, 2010, at the Biabou police station.(KW)