A parish judge has given a further two weeks for the prosecution to complete their file in a murder case involving an accused man once listed as wanted.
The man, who had been wanted by the St. Mary police on several criminal offences and later turned himself to the police, was again remanded into custody when he appeared before the St Mary Parish Court on Friday, January 27.
He is Odeen McGregor, alias ‘Frounzah’ or ‘Teacha’ of Mason Hall, St. Mary.
McGregor turned himself in to the authorities at the Port Maria police station on Wednesday, July 30, 2015. The Constabulary Communications Unit (CCU) had listed McGregor among Jamaica’s 40 ‘Most Wanted’ on June 26, 2015 in relation to several criminal offences throughout the parish of St. Mary, and stretching as far as St. Andrew, between 2010 and 2012.
In court last Friday, McGregor was before the courts for a 2010 murder case. McGregor was charged in relation to the shooting death of Winston Patrick Slavery, alias ‘Gilly Priest’ on April 13, 2010.
McGregor had got bail in relation to murder on April 26, 2010. He was offered bail in the sum of $500,000 with surety, but had absconded bail in the case and a warrant was issued for his arrest. During that time, he had been alleged to have committed various offences.
CHALLENGES
When the matter appeared before parish judge Tricia Hutchinson last Friday, the crown prosecutor indicated that two statements in the case had been certified. Two other statements are to be also certified and an outstanding statement is to be collected from the person who identified the body.
When Judge Hutchinson asked the investigating officer if he had any indication as to when the statements were to be certified, the officer said that the matter had been re-assigned to him, because the investigating officer had retired. The current investigator said that he had tried to contact the retired officer, who is overseas, but he has not been able to reach him.
The investigator asked Judge Hutchinson for a week to get the statements certified in the matter.
TIME GRANTED
The judge told McGregor’s attorney, Kevon Johnson that she would give the crown and the investigating officer two weeks to get the statements certified.
Johnson later agreed, but indicated that if the crown was at the same position, he would “make a certain thing” for his client.
He did not indicate to the court what that “thing” was.
McGregor was remanded into custody until February 16.
