The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN, under police guard, hobbled to the Magistrates Court on crutches yesterday to face charges for the double murder of his girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter.

Before going through the double doors of the Nassau and South Streets court complex to stand before Chief Magistrate Joyanne Ferguson-Pratt, 32-year-old Jason Tino Ferguson, of Woods Alley was jeered by relatives of 35-year-old Anchinique Berry and her daughter, Indiana Forbes.

Ferguson was informed by the chief magistrate that he was not required to enter a plea to the two murder charges he faced.

It is claimed that Ferguson, on November 6, intentionally caused the death of Berry and Forbes.

Early last Wednesday, morning, the mother and daughter were shot as they slept in their beds.

Another person, identified as the mother’s boyfriend, is reported to have struggled with one of the gunmen and was shot in the leg before managing to escape to a neighbour’s yard to ask for help and to call the police.

However, when EMS personnel arrived, both mother and daughter were dead.

Ferguson, represented by Roger Gomez II and Shaka Serville, was told that his case would be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court for trial through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment, scheduled for February 3, 2014.

Mr Serville informed the court that their client was on medication from the gunshot wound in his leg. He requested that his client be allowed to continue treatment in prison.

The chief magistrate said she would make a note to bring the matter to the attention of the Prison Superintendent to allow Ferguson to be seen by the prison physician.

“The question of bail does not arise and the defendant is remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison,” she added.

Ferguson was escorted from the courtroom to a holding cell at the court to the renewed jeers of the victims’ relatives.