Court gets painful glimpse of state of mind
By Maurice Mills
The mental state of an accused man was a point of concern for his attorney and the presiding RM in a case of shop breaking with intent brought before the Port Maria RM court on Thursday, August 21.
Thirty-seven-year-old Neil Smith who has been in custody from 2011 displayed signs of mental illness in his action and verbal utterances when he was brought before RM Andrea Collins.
Smith, who is represented by Dane Marsh has been before the court for the three-year period and has been on medication but according to RM Collins, he is not showing any improvement. His fitness to make a plea to the charges and to whom to release him if bailed was offered, were the main concerns for the RM. RM Collins said that she was trying to get him enrolled in a mental institution but was told by doctors in a detailed report that he could not be admitted in Bellevue. RM Collins also said that the issue of bail was looked at but no family member is willing to accept him, after efforts by the stepfather fell through when he suffered a stroke.
In court, Smith’s attorney asked him: Do you know why you are here at court?”
“Dem say mi bruk shop,” Smith replied.
“Did you?”
“Yes, Sir,” he replied.
“Why?” the attorney quizzed.
“My head hurting me now so I don’t have any remembrance,” Smith said.
Smith then went off on a tangent, telling the court how he had bought Jamaica from Bruce Golding and how people stole his phone. At one point, he told Marsh that he had bought Michael Jackson’s mansion for $12 trillion but was not given a title so he is going back for his money.
A return mention date of Thursday, August 28 was set for a continuation of the matter and by that time relatives of Smith are to be contacted.
While he was leaving the courtroom, RM Collins told attorney Marsh that she did not address Smith in person because on the last occasion he had indicated that he wanted to marry her.
