By Teshell Samuel
Observer Reporter
(Basseterre, St. Kitts) – The 2008 Criminal Assizes opened at the Sir Lee Llewellyn Moore Judicial and Legal Services Complex on Jan. 22. Forty-five cases stand to go before His Lordship Justice Belle in the High Court of Justice. The docket includes 28 cases brought over from the last Criminal Assizes and 17 new ones.
Among the cases going to trial six are murder offences. One new case is that of Che Gregory Spencer, who stands accused for the murder of Jason Marsham of Godwin Ghaut on Dec. 6, 2006. It’s set to go to trial on March 12.
Five murder cases remained on the docket in 2007 and are scheduled be tried in this year’s first criminal assizes. These include a case against multiple defendants Romeo Cannonier, Sheldon Isaac, Ruedeney Williams and Louis Gardener.
Sole defendant Joshua Roach and multiple defendants Fitzroy Challenger, Jamal Bradshaw and Gregory Anthony Zakers are also among those to be tried for murder.
Sole defendant Vinrick John will stand trial for murder.
Lumumba Matthew and Justin Bass who will also stand trial on attempted murder and wounding with intent charges.
Maluska Williams and Wayne Matthew will also stand trial for attempted murder along with Bernell Duncan, who carries a second and third charge of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. Both cases were brought forward from last September’s criminal Assizes.
Also on the docket are several wounding with intent cases, of which five are new cases. These include the trials of Seymour James, Wyndell Wilkinson, Jonelle Merritt, Vernon Richardson and Steve Francis.
Eight cases of wounding were brought over from the last Criminal Assizes, which include that of Darren Gibson who stood trial for his charges of, wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. Shaweed Williams and Kenya Francis, Clevorn Desouza. Chevis Syder face two counts of wounding with intent. Tijay Isaac and Jahmarie Rogers, Phillip Jones and Juan Fyfield also stand trial for wounding with intent charges.
The court will also hear several cases of indecent assault, incest, rape, robbery, assault with intent to rob, causing grievous bodily harm, inflicting grievous bodily harm, having a fire arm in possession with intent to endanger life, possession of firearm to aid in the commission of a felony, causing death by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, unlawful carnal knowledge , house breaking and larceny, store breaking with intent, assault with intent to rob and building breaking with intent which
The criminal assizes are scheduled to last seven weeks.
