Lawyer looking to expedite murder case by doing a paper committal

A paper committal is being considered in the case of Vandyke ‘Dez’ King, charged with the murder of 26-year-old Mickeisha Gumbs of Park Hill.

Yesterday, June 15, was slated to be the beginning of a preliminary inquiry examining the prosecution’s evidence in the matter.

However, attorney Ronald Marks, who is representing the accused, noted that they were contemplating expediting the matter by doing a paper committal.

This would mean that instead of witnesses coming in person and offering evidence before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court, the prosecution would provide a brief of their evidence to the magistrate, who will determine whether it is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to the High Court.

Prosecutor John Ballah indicated that they have the file, and that it was just a matter of disclosure.

Therefore, the matter was adjourned to June 22.

King, a 35-year-old security guard at the time, was charged three days after his significant other, Gumbs, was killed on March 7. She was stabbed and her throat cut with a knife.

The incident, according to Mickeisha’s sister Joseth, happened at around 4:30 pm, when Gumbs was returning from her boyfriend’s (King) mother’s house. She had, according to Joseth, picked up her one-year-old daughter, and the infant was in her arms at the time she was ambushed, kicked and then stabbed. Another of Mickeisha’s three daughters also witnessed the crime.

The sister also indicated that someone had circulated gossip about Mickeisha being dropped off by a man earlier that afternoon, but this was a pastor who had given Mickeisha, one of her daughters and a cousin, a ride home.

Mickeisha and her boyfriend were said to have been in a five-year relationship at the time of her death.