KINGSTON, Jamaica — The trial against businessman Patrick Powell for the alleged murder of former Kingston College student, 17-year-old Khajeel Mais has reached the jury selection process.

It is uncertain how many potential jurors were polled but only seven will be selected to form the jury.

The trial, which was set to begin last Wednesday, was postponed after Powell’s attorneys requested an adjournment on the grounds that former attorney, Patrick Atkinson, is to rejoin the defence team and was unavailable until today.

Powell’s attorneys had also raised concern about the ‘social media campaign’ that was allegedly being led by Mais’ family and argued that it could prejudice the case resulting in Powell getting an unfair trial.

Justice Lloyd Hibbert warned the family members to desist from posting material on social media pertaining to the trial.

The high court judge also ordered the removal of all materials posted on various social media platforms about the trial and warned that no further material should be posted.

Mais was shot dead five years ago when a taxi in which he was a passenger was reportedly fired on in Havendale, St Andrew, by the driver of a BMW X6 motorvehicle.

Powell is accused of shooting at the taxi in a fit of road rage after the car hit his motor vehicle.

Tanesha Mundle