Jury empanelled as murder trial of Rhondi Dabreo begins

The murder trial of Rhondi Ricardo Dabreo has begun in the No. 4 Supreme Court before a 12-member jury.

Dabreo of Seaview, St Philip, has denied murdering 41-year-old Erskine Gunning on March 30, 2015.

Gunning, formerly of King’s Village, Paddock Road, St Michael, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital hours after being stabbed during an alleged altercation.

Four men and eight women have been empanelled on the jury. As made possible under the amended Juries Act, 2025, two alternates were also selected to prevent delays in the matter, due to an empanelled juror falling ill or being unable to proceed.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC, who is prosecuting the matter, along with Principal State Counsel Rudolph Burnett, gave his opening statement urging the jurors to pay attention to the evidence presented in court and to make any decision based on that evidence alone.

Senior Counsel Angella Mitchell-Gittens represents Dabreo. Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell is presiding.