Criminal Assizes opens with 77 cases down for trial
Prosecutors will have their hands full at the October Criminal Assizes, as 77 trials, along with two sentencing hearings are down for hearing at the High Court.{{more}}
The assizes officially got underway on Tuesday, October 4, with the arraignment of prisoners.
Dominating the list, once more, are 33 murder cases, while there are seven rape matters to be heard.
One of the matters down for hearing includes the re-trial of Police Constable Ericsson Harris. Harris will be re-tried for the double murders of Janine Gill and Vonley Llewellyn on December 15, 2005.
The names of Sheldon Bain and Webster Woodley are still on the list. They will be tried for the murder of Livingston Primus of Sion Hill, in August 2004.
Bain is also charged with the double murder of Woodleyâs mother and stepfather in December 2004.
Ottley Hall resident Atiba Bess, 18, will answer to the murder of Sherene Clouden, which took place on December 8, 2008, at Edinboro. Clouden was shot in the head while standing near the public road in the company of two men.
Green Hill resident Odinga Foster will answer to the 2009 murder of Agassi Fraser.
Fraserâs body was discovered on October 10, 2009, lying face down in the Arnos Vale River, after he had been reported missing two days earlier. His disappearance was reported on Friday, October 9, the same day a $60,000 ransom had been demanded.
A post mortem examination, done by Dr. Ronald Child, determined the cause of Fraserâs death to be multiple blunt force wounds to the head.
High Court Judge Frederick Bruce-Lyle will preside over the matters.
Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams, along with his legal team: Counsel Carl Williams, Sejilla McDowall and Colin John, will lead cases for the crown.(KW)
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