Murder accused Junior David discharged

Junior David, who had been charged with the murder of Ashley “Semore” Warren, was discharged when he appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.{{more}}

David was jointly accused with his brother Colin David and discharged after Chief Magistrate Sonya Young found that there was insufficient evidence against him.

The preliminary inquiry continued on Monday with two witnesses, the men’s sister and the investigating officer, giving evidence.

Under cross examination by defence lawyer Maia Eustace, investigating Officer Hezron Ballantyne said that the evidence compiled consisted mainly of records of phone calls made to Warren’s phone by Colin on the day of his death. Ballantyne said that these transactions along with the statements of the men and instructions of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams were enough to charge and arrest the brothers.

Eustace argued that the phone calls were insufficient evidence to arrest the men and asked if they would have been enough to charge in the absence of the DPP’s instruction. Ballantyne replied that the phone calls on their own would have been sufficient to charge the men. “Based on investigations in this matter, phone calls would have been enough to charge persons with murder,” Ballantyne said.

The charges against Colin were, however, maintained. He was to have reappeared at the Serious Offences Court on Thursday, December 10, 2009, the final day of the Preliminary Inquiry.

Twenty-nine-year-old Warren, formerly of Largo Height, was shot in the left side of his neck on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at Long Wall, at approximately 2pm. He succumbed to his injuries at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital the same day.(OS)