Judge allows application to adduce additional evidence in murder case

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

~~Adz:Left~~BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - IN addition to being charged with murder, Sheldon Isaac, Romeo ‘Buncum’ Cannonier, Ruedeney Williams and Louis Gardner will stand trial on a charge of “conspiracy to commit murder”.

The four men appeared before the Basseterre High Court yesterday, where they were slated to be tried for the March 21, 2005 murder of Gavin ‘Magilla’ Gilbert, but before the jury could be impaneled Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP] Paulina Hendrickson made two applications; one of which was to adduce additional evidence.

The DPP explained that the additional evidence constitutes the testimonies of six witnesses.

The second application was to have a second count added to the indictment; a count of “conspiracy to commit murder”.

Defence counsels Reginald W. James, who represents Isaac and Cannonier; Jason Hamilton, who represents Williams; and Hesketh Benjamin representing Gardner; all objected to the applications, citing reasons including lack of sufficient time for the recorded statements of the individuals to be adequately perused and the absence of reasoning for the additional evidence “at the 11th hour”.

The presiding judge, Justice Albert Redhead, informed of his decision to allow the amendment and grant the other application. He also informed that the case would be adjourned until tomorrow, which should give the lawyers enough time to peruse the statements of the additional witnesses in the case.

On March 21, 2005, Gilbert was shot just meters away from his Saddlers Village home.  Strangely however, Cannonier was behind bars when the crime was committed.

The case is expected to be heard tomorrow morning at 9:00.