SUPREME Court judge Justice Dale Palmer has ordered medical attention for 11 accused in the ongoing Klansman Gang trial after a slew of complaints were made on Tuesday about unattended health issues.

The appeals for medical attention for the supposedly ailing Klansman accused come even as the matter which has been running since February 4 adjourns today, before a September resumption. According to defence attorneys who made the indications to the trial judge on behalf of the men, the specific orders were sought from the court to ensure that treatment was received.

Attorney Kymberli Whittaker, making the first appeal on behalf of defendant Charles McCleary, said he had told her that “as a result of being here daily during this trial he has missed his eye appointment and is not seeing properly and is unable to view documents” shown to him by his attorney so he can be able to give instructions for his defence.

Said Justice Palmer, “Well, he has a gap day tomorrow [no sitting on Wednesday, June 23]. I don’t know how quickly he can be seen by the ophthalmologist or I don’t know if it’s a general practitioner that he has been seeing but I will ask that efforts be made to have him taken to seek some attention for his eyes that he can see clearly”.

Attorney Kemar Robinson then indicated that the accused Travis Drummond has a “similar situation” but involving “his tooth”.

“My instructions are that the dentist visit Horizon on a Wednesday,” Robinson said.

“I will ask that efforts be made… he is to be seen by whichever medical practitioner so his complaint can be addressed,” Justice Palmer said.

Attorney John-Mark Reid, rising on behalf of the accused Geovaughni McDonald, said the defendant “has a dental issue that has worsened and has some infection”.

“Apart from also being quite uncomfortable, those issues can be actually quite serious. So Mr Geovaughni McDonald is also to receive attention,” Justice Palmer ruled.

The complaints fell fast and furious thereafter.

“Milord, and the same for Owen Billings, he has been experiencing respiratory [challenges],” attorney John-Mark Reid stated.

“Milord, Mr Sharn Gilzene also indicated that he is in urgent need of dental care,” Denise Hinson added.

“Mr Jerome Spike would like to see the dentist and Mr Carlos Williams is asking if he might be permitted to see the eye doctor as he broke his glasses and he needs to get it back,” attorney Shenieka Sparks told the trial judge.

The accused Kirk Forrester, Justice Palmer was told, complained of a pain in his right leg and was asking to receive medical attention.

Attorney John Jacobs also indicated that the defendant Ronaldo Spence wanted to be added to the list for the dentist and Jermaine Clarke requested to see the general practitioner about a pain to his abdomen, while the accused Shawn Pottinger wanted to be added to the list for the dentist.

Attorney Sasha-Kay Shaw, in explaining the motive behind the men’s requests, said the accused Geovaughni McDonald had indicated that unless the court indicated to the correctional facilities that the relatives of the accused were willing to foot the bill, they would not be taken to a private practitioner.

“Normally, they will take them to the government clinic which would take some time to be addressed. What happens is that when they take them for in-house dental care, they only offer extractions so they are not doing fillings or treating of the actual tooth, so if you really want for example a filling, that service is not being offered, only extractions,” Shaw told the judge.

“So what they are indicating is that they can facilitate the accused men if their relatives are willing to pay for a private clinic and they will make the arrangements to take them there but an order has to be made; they have been facilitated before but it was because an order was made,” she said, noting that once the judge made the order the family would go to the institution and make the payment.

“So in relation to Messers Sharn Gilzene, Ronaldo Spence and Sharn Pottinger, dental attention is needed and so they are to be facilitated by the dental team who visit [the prisons on Wednesdays]. Specifically in relation to Givoanni McDonald, Jerome Spike and Travis Drummond, they are also to be taken for dental attention, they have requested and I am granting permission for them to be seen at a private facility as their families are willing to make the payments. That’s to the extent that it can be accommodated, subject to the logistics and any security requirements,” Justice Palmer said.

“Mr McCLeary needs to see clearly, he needs to have his eyes looked after as well as Mr Carlos Williams. Mr Billings is to be taken for medical attention for respiratory complaints. Mr Forrester is to be taken potentially for an X-ray and Jermaine Clarke is to be taken for medical attention relating to his abdomen,” Justice Palmer ordered further.

The 11 are among 25 accused said to comprise the Tesha Miller-led faction of the gang, and are the second faction of the gang to now be tried by the courts. They are to answer to 16 offences allegedly committed over the span of five years, between August 2017 and November 2022, according to the case being built by the Crown.