Lawyer accuses police of not making witness available for interview
by Christopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer · The GleanerWESTERN BUREAU:
Attorney-at-law Maurice McCurdy, the lawyer for Michael ‘Dry Goods’ Williams, who is facing a murder charge arising from the August 11 shooting death of Wesley Robinson in Ramble, St James, is accusing the police of not making the prosecution’s civilian witness available for a timely interview.
McCurdy made the claim while addressing St James Parish Court Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton yesterday shortly after the court was told that the police have had difficulty arranging an interview with the witness since Williams’ arrest on September 14.
“Judge, an application was made in respect of the sole eyewitness in this matter ... the High Court demands to know what is the status of that application, only for us to be told this morning that it has not been sent off. What my friend, the clerk of the court, has said to the court in no uncertain terms is that she is having a challenge in retrieving her own civilian witness,” said McCurdy.
“The police are having difficulties getting the witness to come to the interview six weeks after Mr Williams has been put in custody on the sole basis of only the witness’ statement to the police, and he [witness] is not even assisting the police to progress this matter. All I will ask of the court at this time is that committal dates [for transferral of the case to the Circuit Court] be set as we are afforded under law so we may do what we need to do,” added McCurdy.
Headlines Delivered to Your Inbox
Sign up for The Gleaner’s morning and evening newsletters.
HIGHEST PRIORITY
However, in response, Judge Fairclough-Hylton said that the security of witnesses must be given the highest priority when prosecuting cases.
“If it is something that concerns the safety and security of an individual, one must think that that is of paramount importance. What I gather from it is that the witness is protecting himself or herself because if those who are responsible for ensuring the necessary interviews and applications so that he or she can be kept safe are not doing what they ought to do in a swift manner, then the witness is taking the necessary precautions to protect him or herself,” said Fairclough-Hylton.
The judge went on to set the case’s committal hearing for November 25 and remanded Williams until that date.
According to police reports, sometime between 2:20 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on August 11, residents of the Ramble community heard loud explosions and summoned the police.
A search was conducted of the area and Robinson was seen lying in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The police later recorded an eyewitness statement and prepared a warrant for Williams, who was arrested in Bogue on Saturday, September 14.