by the end of March.

The Island's Chief Justice arranged 16 trials yesterday -- including murder and manslaughter cases -- in a bid to clear up a backlog of hearings coming before Supreme Court.

Suspected killers Michael Dean Eberly and Michael Brian Pitcher, accused of murdering 69-year-old Beatrice Simons on December 1, 1997, will face trial on May 4.

Eberly, 34, and Pitcher, 31, both of Victoria Row, Dockyard, are jointly charged with the murder in nearby Cochrane Road.

The couple accused of killing a five-month-old baby will be tried on March 15.

Murder accused Jermaine Noel Pearman, 26, and manslaughter accused Sharina Anne Tuzo, 18, both of Bob's Valley, Sandys Parish, have denied killing Saed Rami Nadir on August 29, 1997. Tuzo was the baby's godmother.

Chief Justice Austin Ward also ordered the trial of a man charged with causing the road death of 16-year-old schoolgirl Zeita Matthew.

Twenty-five-year-old Lerone Malcolm Ming, of Ord Road, Paget, is accused of causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by reckless driving and driving while disqualified in June, 1997. He will face trial on January 18.

Englishman Kevin James Pollock, 36, of West Crescent, Warwick, will be tried on April 5 for manslaughter following the death of a Flanagan's customer in July.

Pollock, the restaurant manager, is accused of causing the death of 51-year-old Craig McGavern.

Randolph Lightbourne, 31, of Devon Springs Road, Devonshire, will be tried on January 25 for his alleged part in the $70,000 Bank of Butterfield hold-up in Somerset on July 8.

And Delicia Marie Tucker, who denied six charges of importing and possessing cocaine, heroin and cannabis resin, will also face trial.

The 27-year-old Southampton Princess worker, of Rambling Lane, Pembroke, will be tried on February 22.

Dean Willis Pitt, 31, of Watlington Lane, Devonshire, will be tried on March 22, charged with four counts of handling and possessing cannabis intended for supply.

Suspected cocaine smugglers Richard Ricardo Steede and Lang Onley, both of Hamilton Parish, will be tried on March 8.

Steede, 37, of Kitty's Drive, and Onley, 38, of Harvest Lane, are out on $10,000 bail.

American Ronald Henry Romanowicz, of Salem, Virginia, will reappear in court on February 1 after denying importing, possessing and handling cannabis and cannabis resin.

And accused housebreaker Carlton Eugene Minors, of Great Bay Road, St.

David's, will face trial on February 15.

Mr. Justice Ward also ordered the trial of a 37-year-old Pembroke man, charged with sexual assault. Another suspected sex attacker, 31, from Warwick, will be back in court for next month's arraignments session.

Michael Brian Pitcher Graphic file name: KIL2 Michael Dean Eberly Graphic file name: KIL1 MURDER MUR