Charlestown Nevis (May 26, 2005) The April Criminal Assizes for the Nevis Circuit Court came to an end on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the High Court in Charlestown, where the four cases, ranging from Escaping Lawful Custody to Murder which were set for hearing were disposed of.
The assizes presided by His Lordship Justice Davidson Baptiste saw the general public anticipating the outcome of the historical murder trail, where seven persons stood accused of murdering one Eric Weekes. The assizes also saw three other cases that were set for hearing being disposed of.
The murder trial which began in April subsequently saw two of the defendants being set free after no case submissions by their lawyers were up held. The other five accused were returned to prison for a re-trial in the 2005 November Assizes. The murder trail which came to a close on May 23, 2005 ended in a hung jury and was transferred to the next assizes.
Accordingly, Ms Janine Harris, Legal Counsel in the Director of Public Prosecutions Office informed the judge that there were no further matters for trial in this April 2005 Criminal Assizes and that the only thing left is for the gaol delivery to be given by the Senior Prison Officer in Nevis.
Mr. Alton Liburd, Chief Prison Officer after being sworn presented the gaol delivery to his Lordship. He noted that there are presently one hundred and eighty-eight persons in Her Majestys Prison, of which fifty-four males and four females are in St. Kitts and thirty males in Nevis.
Justice Davidson Baptiste thanked the prosecution team, the staff of the registry office, the police, the jurors and the defence counsels for the vital role they played during the assizes. The court was adjourned sine die.
