One murder accused in need of lawyer to answer charge

One of the three men accused of murdering police officer Newton Lewis last month has informed a local magistrate that he needs a lawyer to act on his behalf in connection with the capital offence.

“Are you the magistrate for this jurisdiction . . . ?” 43-year-old Corey Antonio Morris, of Egret Drive, Graeme Hall Park, Christ Church and Godding Road, Station Hill, St Michael asked Acting Magistrate Jared Richards this afternoon.

Morris is facing the murder charge along with 26-year-old Jim Ron Fenty, of 20B Down Hill Drive, Eden Lodge, St Michael and Jason Shamin Blenman, also 26, of Powder Road, Station Hill, St Michael.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charge before the District ‘E’ Holetown Magistrates’ Court when they appeared in the presence of prosecutors, Sergeants Martin Rock and Theodore McClean and Inspector Janice Ifill who is in charge of the Police Prosecutors’ office. Fenty was represented by attorney-at-law Michael Carrington while Blenman did not have legal counsel.

After Magistrate Richards answered his query, Morris said, “The incident with Mr Lewis.. at present I do not have no . . .” but the judicial officer stopped him saying that he could not hear any utterances that could be deemed as evidence at this stage.

“I need a lawyer,” Morris then stated. Richards told him of the legal avenue available to him on the matter.

Acting Station Sergeant Newton Lewis, the driver of Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith, was responding to a report of an armed robbery near his residence at Rose Hill, St Peter on May 22 when he was gunned down by alleged assailants. He is the first officer gunned down in the line of duty in over 30 years.

Apart from Lewis’ shooting death the three are also facing a number of other charges. They are accused of entering the home of Dakovan Husbands as trespassers, on May 22, and stealing 19 bottles of alcoholic beverages, a cellular phone and cash register belonging to the homeowner as well as two other cellular phones, one belonging to Tyra Husbands and the other to Gina Phillips. The items totalled $3 456.

They are also charged with damaging a building belonging to Colin Jordan without lawful excuse on the same day. The men are further accused of unlawfully and maliciously or recklessly engaging in conduct that placed Lionel Ward in danger of death or serious bodily harm.Morris and Fenty are each facing a separate charge of using a firearm without having a valid licence.

The accused were not required to plead to those indictable charges which were allegedly committed in the District ‘E’ jurisdiction. They will reappear before the Holetown Magistrates’ Court on July 13.

They are also facing a charge in the District ‘B” jurisdiction that allegedly occurred on May 4. They will make their appearance before that Magistrates’ Court on June 21.

It is alleged that they entered the house of Roger Smith as trespassers, with firearms and stole $10 800 in property including $8 500 cash.

Fenty is separately charged with taking Smith’s motor car for his own use and without the owner’s consent or any other lawful authority,.

The men were not required to plead to the charges.

Morris meantime is facing several charges which allegedly occurred in the District ‘A’ jurisdiction and he will appeared in that Magistrates’ Court on June 22.

He is alleged to have entered the home of Christopher Sealy with a hammer on April 11, 2020, and stole a watch and ring totalling $1 850. On April 20 he allegedly robbed Vincent Benn of a $40 chain.

Between September 5 and 6 that same year, he allegedly entered 4.1.6 Bar as a trespasser and stole eight bottles of vodka; six bottles of brandy; 22 bottles of whiskey; 15 bottles of wine; a television; eight shirts; ten pairs of socks; 15 bars of soap; two body sprays and a cologne belonging to Kay Belle and all worth $4 023. He is also facing a charge that between September 24-25 he burglarized MT Sweet Corner of 13 bottles of whiskey; eight bottles of brandy; three bottles of wine, a case of soft drinks all worth $1 198 and belonging to Latoya Scott.

Morris is further charged that on November 18, last year he robbed Eleanor Greaves of a bangle worth $1 100 and on February 10 this year stole a $700 ram belonging to Delvin Gaskin.

After arriving at the Holetown Court around 1 p.m., the accused spent approximately 15 mins in the dock as Magistrate Richards read the charges. They had arrived in a police van which was accompanied by two unmarked, siren-blaring vehicles carrying armed law enforcers.

On their arrival, several people, including family members, looked on from the outside the gates of the court. The three were escorted in by officers and escorted out in the same fashion.

The accused are now on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.
(fernellawedderburn@barbadostoday.bb)