It was a week of adjournment after adjournment after defence lawyers, the DPP and the presiding judge conferred over procedural matters this week in the 2009 Valentine Day Murder Trial.
The incident occurred six years ago to this day when Dwayne Hazel James, aka Chubby, of Maynard Hill Marchand was murdered. The following week three men were charged for the crime – Johnathan St. Rose, aka Ninja Dan, Lyndenn Blasse and Marvin Terry Nelson. The three were remanded in custody at the Bordelais Correctional Facility and have since been denied bail.
However, after being adjourned to Monday February 9, the matter has failed to proceed this week.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday relatives of both the accused and the victim sat patiently on the wooden benches of the outer Court waiting for the matter to be called. The accused on each day were transported from Bordelais to Castries and back again. Each day too, the families left with faces of disappointment.
Finally on Wednesday afternoon it was announced that the matter had been adjourned yet again and would recommence on Monday February 16, 2015.
Representing the Crown in the matter is the Director of Public Prosecutions, Victoria Charles Clarke. The defendant Johnathan St. Rose is being represented by Dasdean Green, Lyndenn Blasse by Leslie Mondesir, while Andy George represents Marvin Terry Nelson. Presiding over the matter is Justice Francis Cumberbatch.
How can a trial take so long? What was the reason for the adjournment?