A 12-member jury was on Monday empaneled for the murder trial of Jermaine Savory in the Georgetown High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes.

It is alleged that on November 5, 2008 at Agricola, East Bank Demerara, Savory murdered Melissa Payne at Agricola Public Road. The State is being represented by Mandel Moore and Orinthia Schmidt while, the Defence Attorney is Maxwell McKay. The State is expected to call several witnesses.

According to reports, Payne was killed after she attempted to put up a fight with gunmen who attacked her and a male friend, at Agricola Public Road, at about 08:30hrs on November 5, 2008.
The gunmen escaped with some $110,000 in cash that was in the woman’s bag along with her jewellery. At the time of the robbery, she was in the company of a male friend, David Fraser, as they were heading to Georgetown to conduct business.

It is reported that as they approached Agricola, the Canter truck they were in encountered mechanical problems. Fraser came out and tried to fix the truck as Payne stood and watched him. A few moments later, a man came up to them with a gun and demanded their money. The armed man snatched Fraser’s gold chain and attempted to pull away Payne’s handbag but when she tried to turn back and go to the truck, she was stopped in her tracks by the other bandit who demanded the bag. Payne resisted and the armed man shot and killed her.

Savory of Lot 97 Second Street, Agricola, was charged with the murder of Payne. Savory reportedly confessed to sleuths that he had participated in the robbery but said that he was not the trigger man.