The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THERE will be no stay on the Marco Archer murder trial after Justice Bernard Turner yesterday struck out the application made by murder accused Kofhe Goodman.

Justice Turner ordered the jurors, whom Goodman feared had been prejudiced by pretrial media coverage, to return to the Supreme Court on April 17, tomorrow, at 11am for the empanelling process and commencement of the trial.

Goodman’s attorney Geoffrey Farquharson argued last week that over the 18 months the case has been before the courts, the press continued to publicise it – in some

instances inaccurately reporting on things it should not have.

The attorney subsequently asked for the trial to be stayed indefinitely because of the level of publicity the case had attracted.

The body of Marco, a student of Columbus Primary School, was discovered on September 28, 2012, in bushes behind an apartment in Cable Beach five days after he disappeared.

Goodman, 37, of Yorkshire Drive, was charged in connection with the murder two months later, on November 24.

He was told at his Supreme Court arraignment last year that he would stand trial on April 8, 2013, on a murder charge, which he denies.

In the three days of legal arguments, Crown prosecutor Neil Braithwaite countered Mr Farquharson’s arguments for a stayed trial, calling them “scandalous” because they were drawing conclusions with no facts or basis to support them.

He further argued that in the instances where there seemed to be prejudice, it came from online commentators and not media professionals themselves.

The prosecutor said a fair trial was not impossible and that guidelines and measures could be taken to ensure such before the jury is empanelled.

Justice Turner ruled on the application shortly after 11am before calling in the jury waiting to be empanelled and informing them that the trial would commence on April 17.