MICHAEL Alexander McLean, the 38 year-old St Thomas businessman who has been charged with the murder of six members of a St Thomas family last month, was yesterday granted time to secure legal representation for himself, when he appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court.

He is scheduled to return to court on April 12, when the matter will again be mentioned. Senior Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle asked that legal aid be provided for the accused when he returns to court.

McLean is charged with the murders of 27 year-old dry goods clerk, Farika Martin-McCool, Martin-McCool’s aunt, Terry-Ann “Teenie” Mohamed, 42, and four children Jessie Ogilvie, 9, Sean Chin, 8, Jihad McCool, 6, Lloyd McCool, 3.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will be marshalling the case against McLean. At least 22 potential witnesses are expected to be called.

On February 27, St Thomas police were forced to transfer McLean from the Morant Bay lock-up in the parish to an undisclosed location in Kingston, after an angry mob descended on the Morant Bay Police Station, demanding that McLean be turned over to them to inflict their own brand of justice. The concern for McLean’s safety also prompted a transferral of jurisdiction over the case to the Corporate Area Criminal Court.

McLean’s home, at 71 Red Hills Housing Scheme, St Thomas, was later set ablaze by unknown assailants on February 28. Two rooms at the back of the house and their contents were scorched in the blaze.

On February 26, fishermen discovered the bodies of Lloyd McCool and Jessie Ogilvie lying together on the Blue Mahoe Beach in Prospect, St Thomas. Martin-McCool and Sean Chin, were found half-mile away, with their throats slashed.

Later that morning Mohamed’s body was found 12 miles away on a footpath in Needham Pen, burnt beyond recognition. The police had touse a pair of slippers she was wearing to identify her.

And on March 2, the body of Jihad McCool was found in a shallow grave in Rosemont District, St Mary.