Murder case against cop and sister delayed
Alesia Edwards
The chronic shortage of people to serve as jurors in the St Ann Circuit court, last week forced the court to postpone the trial of a police constable and his sister, who are both on a murder charge.
The case was reportedly set as a priority matter for the court to begin hearing evidence against police constable Jeffery Peart and his sister, Roxanne Peart, who are both charged for the murder of Hanover taxi operator Delroy Frame.
The case against the siblings was expected to begin on Wednesday, October 15, before high court judge Justice Courtney Daye who is presiding over this sitting of the Circuit Court.
However, when the case was called up last Wednesday morning, deputy director of public prosecution, Maxine Jackson, told the court that there were not enough persons to serve as jurors in the matter.
She told the court that at least 40 people were needed for the selection of jurors to begin. However, only twenty one people turned up for jury duty that day and seven had been empanelled for a sexual offense matter which was to begin the following day.
JUDGE INSTRUCTS POLICE
During the opening of the Circuit on Monday, October 13, Mr Justice Daye had instructed the high command of the St. Ann police to do all in its power to find more people to serve as jurors. Justice Daye pointed to difficulties the court would experience in empanelling jurors in cases where more than one person was charged.
The court was told that some 124 summonses were served on persons to carry out jury duties, however, fewer than 30 persons registered for court Monday and several were seeking excuse from the court. (blurb)
On Wednesday, only 21 persons showed up for jury duty.
The jurors who were served with summons and who did not answer when their names were called on Wednesday were each fine $2,000 or ten days in custody.
The police were expected to serve more summonses by Tuesday, October 21, when the trial of the policeman and his sister is expected to begin.
PEART and his sister are accused of the murder of the taxi operator whose headless body was discovered in Wild Cane district near Cave Valley in St. Ann in June 2012.
The taxi operator was a complainant in a corruption case against Peart in the court in Hanover.
The policeman was remanded into custody while his sister’s bail was extended.
The prosecution is alleging that the siblings lured Frame to the rural community where he was beheaded and his body dumped in bushes. His motor vehicle was also set ablaze.
Following investigations the siblings were arrested and later charged.
Constable Peart who was on suspension from the Constabulary Force at the time of the murder has been in custody for over two years.
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