Joshua Roach pleads guilty to manslaughter

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

~~Adz:Right~~ BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE murder trial of Joshua Roach barely got on its way before it had to be aborted due to a guilty plea which he entered.

Roach was charged with the 2004 murder of Loxley James of Challengers Village and appeared before the Basseterre High Court yesterday (Sept. 29) for the commencement of his trial.

After the jury was impanelled, Roach’s lawyer, Hesketh Benjamin, told the court that although he is aware that the indictment was previously read to the accused, he is requesting that it be put to him once more.

It was then that Roach pleaded guilty to the charge of “manslaughter”. In light of the plea, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paulina Hendrickson withdrew the murder charge.

According to information reaching this media house, Loxley James was shot a number of times on March 10, 2004 and succumbed to his injuries nine months later.

Reports are that while James was in his Challengers home with his daughter, he heard a rap on the door and upon investigation he was confronted by three men dressed in dark clothing. As a result of the confrontation, James sustained three gunshot wounds.

On December 16, 2004, James gave up the fight for his life. Before his death, a McKnight resident was arrested and charged with attempted murder and after his death, the charge was upgraded to “murder”.

Since then, the charge against that individual was dropped and Roach was slapped with the charge.

Presiding judge, His Lordship Justice Francis Belle ordered a social enquiry report on Roach which is to be submitted to the court. 

Roach will return to court on December 1, 2008 when a plea in mitigation will be made by his lawyer. Roach faces the possibility of a life sentence…the maximum for manslaughter.