FIFTY-FIVE murder accused are among 82 prisoners at the Georgetown Prison awaiting trial at the January criminal sessions of the Demerara Assizes, Senior Superintendent of Prisons T. Small told Justice Winston Patterson yesterday.

The Officer-in-Charge of the penitentiary made the report in the Jail Delivery at the close of the October sessions.

The next criminal sessions will open on January 13 and the presiding judges will be Justice Patterson and Justice Brassington Reynolds.

Justice Patterson also discharged the jurors who had been serving at the October sessions which were declared closed yesterday.

Small reported, as well, that 17 of the 82 prisoners have requested early trials and four indicated their willingness to plead guilty.

Apart from the 55 murder trials, there are other cases, two attempted murder, three manslaughter, 17 carnal knowledge, one incest, two armed robbery, one rape and one arson. (GEORGE BARCLAY)