Judge stops trial, dismisses jury

The armed robbery and rape trial of two accused ended in a mistrial before the High Court on Wednesday.

Justice Carlisle Greaves made that decision following a verbal confrontation which took place on Tuesday between supporting court staff and defense counsel Marlon Gordon which resulted in him leaving the No. 3 Supreme Court without the trial continuing. The verbal encounter occurred in the presence of the jury hearing the matter and potential jurors before the judge took the Bench.

Gordon is representing accused Simon Thito Blades, of Newbury, St George while accused Akeem Fernando Wickham, of Flat Rock in the same parish has Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley as his lawyer.

The two are charged with robbing a female of one $925 cellphone and having sexual intercourse with her without her consent on September 10, 2012.

They are also accused of robbing the female’s male companion of a laptop, two bags, one bracelet and one cellular phone all valued at $6, 860.

The men who pleaded not guilty to the charges were on trial before the nine-member jury in the No. 3 Supreme Court.

The judge, who heard what had transpired between the parties in his absence, discharged the jury. There were only three witnesses left to be called by Senior State Counsel Neville Watson.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury it is my understanding that you were present yesterday morning when there was an outburst in your presence. And you are well aware of the absence of counsel yesterday as a result of his part [in] that conduct.

“I have conducted an inquiry and I have carefully considered all that I have been told. I have accepted submissions from counsel for the defence that in the circumstances it is untenable for this trial to continue.

“I will apologise to you for the apparent wastage of your time. Yesterday’s outrage, I think, was the camel that broke the straw’s back. I know that you expected me to say the straw that broke the camel’s back . . . and that one was big enough to bring everything to an end.

“In the circumstances I discharge you from further hearing this case. I thank you very much for your service,” the High Court judge said.

He then informed the two accused that their bail had been extended and their case will be mentioned before Supreme Court No. 2 for a new date and trial on September 20.