The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE public will have to bear the costs of a Jamaican man’s appeal against a murder conviction and sentence for a fatal shooting nearly five years ago.

Derrick Paul Suer, 42, appeared before Court of Appeal judges Justices Anita Allen, Abdulai Conteh and Neville Adderley yesterday seeking an extension from the court to serve notice against his conviction for the June 22, 2010, murder of Geraltoe Johnson.

Crown respondent Basil Cumberbatch said he had no objection to the extension being granted given the nature of the offence.

Prior to this, Suer was asked if he were representing himself in the appeal. The appellant’s thick accent was initially challenging, but he did say that he was unrepresented.

Given the nature of the case, the court said it would appoint a lawyer to argue his appeal and adjourned the matter to June 30 for a status hearing.

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.