By George Barclay

THE Old England Demerara murder re-trial, at which accused Lakeraj Fredericks is alleged to have shot to death Clifton Bonus, 21, in June 2011 over some marijuana seeds, got restarted yesterday following a hung jury and two false starts.Justice James Bovell-Drakes, who is presiding over the re-trial at the Demerara Assizes began taking evidence after a 12-member jury was empanelled yesterday.
And at the end of the day, the judge conducted a voir dire (a trial within a trial in the absence of the jury) to determine the admissibility of an alleged caution statement said to have been given to the police by the accused.
The prosecution, conducted by State Counsel Mr Siand Dhurjon and Miss Shonette Austin, was about to tender the alleged caution statement in evidence, when Defence Counsel Mr Lawrence Harris and Mr. Hewley Griffith objected on the grounds that it had been obtained in accordance with the Judges Rules.
As a consequence, Justice Bovell-Drakes who had begun taking evidence in the regular trial had no alternative but to send the jury out of sight and hearing and begin the voir dire.
The accused, Lakeraj Fredericks, is charged with having on June 3, 2011, in the county of Demerara murdered Clifton Bonus, called “Mutts.”
The first witness called in the regular trial was Karen Lashley, mother of the deceased, Clifton Bonus, followed by the grandfather of the deceased, Cedric Lashley. Also testifying was Lance Corporal Richard Thomas and gold-miner Troy Yorrick.
The deceased is said to have been shot in the head with a .32 bullet, but even his mother and girlfriend told the jury that they did not know how he met his death, and defence counsel declined to cross-examine them.
The prosecution hopes to call 11 witnesses.
At the end of the day, witness Ewin Trotman was giving evidence and was being cross-examined at length by lawyer Mr Griffith.
Because the judge will be otherwise engaged, the court will not be sitting until next Wednesday at 09:00 hrs.