A New York woman will be heading home a free woman after a Supreme Court judge yesterday threw out charges alleging she had possession of more than $100,000 of cocaine.

Latoya Nicole Hunt, 25, was freed after Assistant Justice Archibald Warner ruled that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence that she knew the cocaine was in her Gucci handbag when she was stopped by Police last May.

Hunt, represented by Elizabeth Christopher, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of 495.3 grams of cocaine with intent to supply.

Her common law husband, Ashley Williams Dickens, 25, who was sentenced to six years in prison on Wednesday on the same charge, maintained from the time the couple were arrested that Hunt did not know he had put the package in her handbag. Cruise ship passengers Hunt and Dickens were stopped by Police in a taxi in May of last year and arrested after Hunt was found with the package of cocaine in her handbag.

Det. Con. Antoine Fox was the last prosecution witness yesterday and said he was stationed with the narcotics division of the Bermuda Police Department last year when the couple were arrested. Det. Con. Fox said he had observed the couple that day at Ordnance Island as they left the cruise ship and he said he followed them while they were in the taxi before he stopped them and searched Hunt's handbag that contained the cocaine.

Justice Warner told Hunt she was free to go after he decided to dismiss the case.