Schoolboy drug-smoking murder trial aborted
– member of jury admits he and brother of accused went to school together

JUSTICE Franklyn Holder, on Tuesday, aborted the Patentia Secondary School drug-smoking murder trial after a male member of the jury admitted that he and the brother of the accused went to school together.

The judge had conducted the inquiry in his Chambers in the presence of the accused Quancy John and lawyers representing both sides.
At the end of the inquiry, the judge ascended the bench and declared: “I have to abort this trial because a member of the jury has admitted that he knows the accused. And according to law we cannot carry on a murder case with eleven jurors. We must have twelve.”
Before the jurors had taken the oath yesterday, the judge, as customary, had enquired from them whether they had known the relatives and friends of the accused and the deceased or were associated with the lawyers or any person concerned with the case.
According to the particular juror, he gave the impression that at first he was not aware that the accused was known to him, but as the trial continued and names were called he became aware and brought this to the attention of the judge’s registrar.
The resulting effect was that the trial was aborted and the jury were told to return to court on Monday morning, September 8, for a possible selection in another panel that will hear the same matter.

NOTICE
Justice Holder also sent out a call to the other jurors who were to return to court on September 22 , asking them to return to court on Monday September 8, instead.
Attorney-at-Law Miss Diana Kaulesar represented the prosecution, while lawyer Mr. Glenn Hanoman defended.

(By George Barclay)