Murder trial aborted after defence counsel, juror conversation
THE Berbice Assizes trial of a mother, her son and two friends, indicted for the murder of Brian Chinapen, was aborted on Monday, after a member of the jury was seen speaking to one of the two defence counsels. The number four juror, who apologised in open court, before Justice Franklyn Holder, said  last week’s conversation was about a pending land dispute in which a relative is involved.
After the exchange was reported, the judge conducted an inquiry in chambers, with State Prosecutor Dionne Mc Cammon and defence counsel Charrandas Persaud and, at the conclusion, Justice Holder instructed that radio messages be sent to other jurors waiting to serve, for them to report for service yesterday.
The prisoners who will now have to face a new trial are Roopdai Sukhram called ‘Shanta’, Hardat Singh nicknamed ‘Vicky’, Kapaldeo Singh known  as Rohan and  Rajendra Lall called Rajin.
The indictment charged them wth the unlawful killing of Chinapen on August 8, 2007, at Chesney,  Corentyne.
The other lawyer in the case was defence counsel Joswir Misir.