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Lawyer’s illness delays continuation of murder trial

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A LAWYER’S absence yesterday delayed continued testimony in the murder trial in the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old CV Bethel student.

Michael Kemp had indicated to Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs on Tuesday, before the start of the trial for Kendario Bain, Owen McKenzie and Donald Nottage, that he was not feeling well. However, he stayed for most of the proceedings.

However, in yesterday’s hearing, lawyer Ian Cargill relayed to the judge that Mr Kemp was still not feeling well.

The judge adjourned the trial to Thursday at 11am.

Mr Cargill, Mr Kemp and Wallace Rolle are defending the three men accused of murder, causing harm and attempted robbery. They have denied all charges.

It is claimed that Bain and McKenzie, being concerned together on February 21, 2008, intentionally caused the death of Jamil Wilchcombe by means of unlawful harm.

All three accused are alleged to have caused harm to Lee-Sanchez Dormeus and Nottage is claimed to have attempted to rob the victim of a Verizon Z3 GSM cellular phone.

On the day in question, then 16-year-old Dormeus had left school that afternoon to go to a nearby barbershop on East Street South when a young man attempted to take his cellular phone away from him.

This led to a fight between the two when two other young men joined in to attack Dormeus.

Dormeus’ 17-year-old brother, Jamil, tried to intervene on his sibling’s behalf, but was fatally stabbed in the chest.

So far, the 12-member jury has heard from Crime Scene Investigator Corporal Trevor McKinney who testified that he photographed the crime scene on the day in question.

Sergeant Kermit Jones, also a CSI, testified about receiving instructions from senior officers on February 27, 2008 that led him to the Rand Lab at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

It was there that he spoke with Dr Govinda Raju and then proceeded to photograph the body of a young man, who had been pointed out to him.

His evidence, however, prompted Mr Cargill to ask for legal discussions in the jury’s absence.

Those legal discussions concluded in yesterday’s proceedings and Sgt Jones is expected to continue his evidence on Thursday when the matter resumes.

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