Trio say not guilty of murder
(CNS): The three men accused of gunning down 25 year old Alrick Peddie (left) in broad daylight on Willie Farrington Drive, West Bay, in March this year all pleaded not guilty to murder when the charge was read to them at the opening of the Grand Court on Wednesday. Robert Crawford, aged 17, Jose Sanchez, aged 23, and Roger Bush, aged 35, will go on trial in June for the murder in the first case in which the police have used the new witness anonymity law. The three men were one of more than a dozen serious cases committed to the Grand Court this morning, including an 18-year-old girl charged with causing death by dangerous driving, and the father of a teen murder defendant accused of giving him a false alibi.
The teenager accused of shooting at a police officer following a car chase in the wake of a robbery at a Bodden Town gas station in June was also committed to the Grand Court for trial on 6 December. The indictment regarding the charges were not read to the 16-year-old boy, whose case was adjourned until 22 October in order for alterations to be made to those charges.
The teen robber was not the only under-age defendant committed to the Grand court in yesterday’s opening session. Three young people and one adult teen were also committed to the higher court regarding the robbery of a Gino’s pizza delivery man in West Bay, in which four pizzas and two sodas were stolen.
Teen driver, Brook Nowak, who recently voluntarily surrendered herself into custody regarding charges against her for causing death by dangerous driving and DUI, was also committed to the Grand Court. Novak has not yet entered her plea to the charges and her attorney, John Furniss, said there were details that had to be ironed out before his client would enter her plea. Novak is charged with causing the death of 24-year-old Filipino national Fedaranne Faustino in a fatal collision in August of this year.
A West Bay man whose 16-year-old son is one of several men now charged with the murder of Marcos Duran (29) in West Bay in March pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice. The court heard that the father is accused of providing a false alibi for his teenage boy when he was part of a police investigation into the killing in Maliwinas Way, West Bay. The boy also received a gunshot wound to his leg on the night that Duran was killed.
A police officer who was one of three off duty members of the RCIPS involved in an arrest that resulted in the suspect receiving a broken arm also made an appearance but was not arraigned. Rabe Welcome is the only one of the three officers who is still facing charges of wounding in connection with the incident, which occurred at the Red Bay Esso in June 2009.
Of the various cases committed to the Grand Court Wednesday, only one defendant, who is on bail, failed to appear. A warrant was issued by the chief justice for the arrest of Matthew Whittaker, who is facing charges of rape.
Category: Headline News
