The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN contesting his conviction and sentence for murder was appointed counsel yesterday in the Court of Appeal.

Derrick Paul Suer, 42, appeared before Court of Appeal Justices Anita Allen, Abdulai Conteh and Neville Adderley where attorney Roberto Reckley said he had received notice from the registrar of his appointment as counsel.

The associate of Wayne Munroe, QC, accepted the appointment and was asked by the court if he had received the transcripts from the trial concerning the June 22, 2010 murder of Geraltoe Johnson.

Mr Reckley said he had not received them, but would check with the appellate court’s staff to see if they were available.

Koschina Marshall confirmed that the Crown respondents were in receipt of the transcripts.

Suer’s substantive appeal hearing was adjourned to September 28.

At trial in July 2013, two witnesses testified that a man came to their home inquiring about the “short, dark boy with the rims”. Both witnesses said after telling the man that Johnson was not at home, the stranger, who spoke with a Jamaican accent, came back several times to see if he had returned. One of the witnesses also noticed a bulge under the man’s shirt that they believed was a gun. However, the police were not contacted.

Johnson was killed later that day.

Presiding trial judge Justice Indra Charles sentenced Suer to 46 years in prison.