Legal arguments dominate murder trial

Legal arguments continued throughout yesterday in the Lagoon Park murder trial with no witnesses being called in the marathon case.

Three men are accused of killing an American man after a drug deal apparently went bad. The ten woman, two man Supreme Court jury were first seated on November 10 last year and the trial has seen just 27 days of testimony since then.

Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser leads the Crown case, assisted by Crown counsel Juan Wolffe and Cindy Clarke while Ed Bailey, Liz Christopher and Larry Scott defend Terranz (Monster) Smith, James Alan (Spook) Dill and Robert Blair Tucker respectively. The trial continues this morning before Puisne Justice Norma Wade Miller.

Sentencing put back

A 25-year-old man had his sentencing in Supreme Court postponed for two weeks after his lawyer was promoted to Attorney General. Kaream Tunes Gibbons, of Rambling Lane, Pembroke was to be sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon, and wilful damage to property.

Gibbons' lawyer Larry Mussenden was promoted to the position of AG and, due to a conflict at his former law chambers, no one was able to represent the man. Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons said Gibbons will have to instruct new counsel and remanded him in custody until February 16.

Jury chosen for GBH trial in Supreme Court

A jury was selected yesterday for the Supreme Court trial of taxi driver Lloyd Hilton Smith who has pleaded not guilty to three charges including grievous bodily harm.

Smith, 53, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to unlawfully attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Nicole Janee Lambert, depriving her of her freedom and to being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a pipe, on March 1 of last year in Turtle Bay Crescent, Southampton. A seven woman, five man jury was selected and then the trial was adjourned to allow Smith to further brief his lawyer Mark Pettingill. The Crown is represented by Anthony Blackman.

The case, in front of Assistant Justice Archibald Warner, will resume today.

Cocaine found in underwear

A 20-year-old man caught with cocaine twists in the waistband of his underwear was fined $4,500 when he appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Lynn Michael White, of Sound View, Sandys, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply when Police stopped him on October 10 in an increased penalty zone.

The court heard that Police saw the defendant on the corner of Court and Elliot Streets and noticed him looking nervous as he started to walk away from them. Police stopped and searched White and found a brown twist containing 14 separate brown twists in the waistband of his underwear. The off-white substance was analysed and found to be 3.76 grams of cocaine. Police also found $374 which White claimed in court he had received after performing work for his stepfather.

Defence lawyer Leo Mills told the court White had not intended to supply the drug but that it was for his own personal use.

"That's a lot of rock, man," said Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves. Mr. Mills said it was the young man's first conviction and that he was sporadically looking for jobs.

"He doesn't need any job, he's a pharmacist," Mr. Greaves added.

Mr. Greaves tripled the value of the drugs, fining White $3,500. He added $1,000 to the fine because White was in an increased penalty zone and confiscated the $374 that was on White that night.