Jurors seek evidence review

(CNS): The six women and one man deciding the fate of the former director and deputy chair of the National Housing and Development Trust, Edlin Myles, made an unusual request Wednesday some two hours into their deliberations. The jury asked to review evidence from several crown witnesses in the case, in which Myles is accused of conning housing trust applicants into buying insurance policies they didn't need. Following the judge's direction to the men and women in the morning, they retired for almost two hours to begin their discussions. However, they were back in the courtroom listening to a review of the testimony of one of the witnesses in the afternoon. 

After further deliberations, the jurors requested more reviews of witness testimony, and as a result, the judge adjourned the case until Thursday morning.

While Myles and his attorney, along with friends and family, waited in the court throughout the day, it became apparent by late afternoon that there would be no verdict in the case Wednesday. The foreman of the jury made a request to listen again to the evidence given by more of the witnesseswho claimed they were fraudulently sold insurance policies by Myles when he was on the Trust’s board.

The jury was sent home this evening at around 5pm by the judge with warnings not to discuss the case or their deliberations until they return to the court on Thursday morning at 10am. It is anticipated that they will then be given the opportunity to re-hear some of the evidence of three more crown witness, which will be read by court’s stenographers.

Myles is now facing seven counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage and obtaining property by deception rather than the original nine, after the crown withdrew two counts before the end of the trial.