<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Myron Samuel appeared before Chief Magistrate last Monday, it was to learn that she would not be going ahead as the trial judge in the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samuel is one of four young Vincentian men who were implicated in a cache of missing guns and ammunition \u2013 said to be stolen \u2013 from the Georgetown precinct of the Royal SVG Police Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samuel along with former police constable, Zackrie Latham, were the first to enter not guilty pleas when various charges were put to them at the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avi King pled guilty to all but one of the charges brought against him while Meshach Dublin answered \u201cguilty\u201d every time Chief Magistrate Rechanne Brown enquired, \u201chow do you plea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dublin later changed his lawyer \u2013 from Grant Connell to Jomo Thomas \u2013 retracted his guilty plea and was also successful in his bail application. He now awaits his trial at the Colonaire Magistrate Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, in King\u2019s case, the SOC has already imposed a 2 years and 8 months sentence on the 26 year old, soon-to-be-father of 3 for his acknowledged role in this daring development. The single charge to which King pleaded not guilty was withdrawn by Prosecutor Renrick Cato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief Magistrate Browne, on Friday 23 July, invited Samuel\u2019s defence counsel, Connell, along with Prosecutor Cato to approach the bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said, \u201cI think there\u2019s something both parties have to iron out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following that powwow, the matter was adjourned to Monday 26. Samuel returned to the SOC to hear that his trial would be heard in the neighboring Kingstown Magistrate\u2019s Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connell challenged the first date, August 13, that was proposed by the Chief Magistrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told the SOC that Myron Samuel will be changing his plea and is expecting all of the attendant benefits that would come with following such a course of action even as he requested \u201ca shorter period if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This in turn provoked a commitment from the bench to \u201cfind a better date by Wednesday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asbert News Network caught up with Connell and enquired about the evident recusal of the Chief Magistrate in this matter; since she did not proffer any preamble in open Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told us, \u201cif an issue is raised the Magistrate is entitled to recuse herself. You know, do the right thing and the do the thing right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week Connell\u2019s application to have Bertie Pompey \u2013 the ex-Deputy Commissioner of Police, now turned Magistrate \u2013 recuse himself from Latham\u2019s trial was denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One locally published, digital media source reported that the prosecution\u2019s Corporal Charles successfully lobbied the Colonaire Magistrate Court \u2013 which is located in the same building that houses the pilfered police armory \u2013 against allowing Connell\u2019s recusal request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Magistrate Pompey, the news site noted, was confident in his ability to recuse himself \u201cif he feels there is any prejudice.\u201d
JPSchwmon@Gmail.Com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Myron Samuel appeared before Chief Magistrate last Monday, it was to learn that she would not be going ahead as the trial judge in the matter. Samuel is one of four young Vincentian men who were implicated in a cache of missing guns and ammunition \u2013 said to be stolen \u2013 from the Georgetown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":24159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-from-the-court"],"yoast_head":"\n