MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man accused of stabbing another to death on Bevin Avenue in Montego Bay in March of this year is fit to enter a plea, according to a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation report.

Delmar Elson, 34, is charged with murder in connection with the death of 29-year-old Romain Legister, who is also from Montego Bay, St James. Elson is represented by attorney-at-law Jermaine Campbell.

The clerk of court objected to bail when the case was heard in the St James Parish Court on Monday, citing Elson’s violent nature. The clerk also pointed to Elson’s previous conviction for which he received a one-year suspended sentence, adding that he committed the latest offence while his suspended sentence was active. He also told the court that the post-mortem report and the statement from the justice of the peace (JP) were still outstanding.

The judge then told Campbell that she would not be able to make a decision on bail until she had the opportunity to review the file. She also stated that the Crown was mindful of Elson’s propensity for violence.

Campbell, who has argued that his client acted in self-defence, was robust in his argument about the Crown’s slow pace of providing the documents required to proceed. He pointed out that his client had been in custody since March and the matter was brought before the court two months later.

“The officer would have had two months before the matter even came to court to prepare even the JP statement for the caution…When the file came, only the caution statement came in — and it was thereafter all these other things are chipping in,” said Campbell.

“We cannot say that because we have been before the court before and we have suspended sentence hanging over our heads that we should not defend ourselves,” Campbell added.

The defence counsel also requested that a medical certificate be provided as his client had been injured and taken to the hospital by the police.

The judge then scheduled the case for mention on August 30, at which time Elson will learn whether he is eligible for bail. He was remanded in police custody.

It was reported that around 7:00 am on March 17 both men had a disagreement. The police said during a dispute a pair of scissors was used to stab Legister in the chest.

Legister was assisted by residents to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he died while being treated.

Outstanding documents holding up double

ROEHAMPTON, St James — A number of outstanding documents are holding up the prosecution’s case against Knitson Reid who is accused of double homicide and injuring another man in Roehampton, St James, on May 31.

The deceased men have been identified as 23-year-old farmer Liston “Blacks” Anderson, and 20-year-old Tavar “Ravers” Doeman.

When the case was heard in the St James Parish Court on Monday, the court was told that the post-mortem report, the initial investigating officer’s statement, the ballistic certificate, the scene-of-crime statement, and other documents related to the case were outstanding.

With the unavailability of these items Presiding Judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley said she could not set a hearing date.

She then asked the clerk of court if he had any requests and he asked for an extension of time to have the file updated.

Smith-Ashley went on to say that she had the opportunity to peruse the file and that defence attorney Michael Hemmings had raised some concerns about weaknesses, particularly with the identification.

“Having looked at it, I do not agree that the case against you is tenuous,” the judge told Reid.

“When I look at that and all of the other things that I have to consider I do not believe you are a suitable candidate for bail,” Smith-Ashley added before remanding him in custody until September 26.

The allegations are that on May 31 about 10:30 pm Anderson and another man were at Doeman’s house at Four Roads in Roehampton, St James, when a gunman entered the house and opened fire.

Anderson and Doeman were shot and killed while the other man, who was also shot, managed to flee the house.

The police were summoned, and when they arrived they found Doeman’s body under a bed with a gunshot wound to a section of his body. Anderson’s body was on the floor in a back room. There were several gunshot wounds to his chest and head.

Following investigations, Reid was arrested and charged.

Trial venue to be decided in buggery case

PLANTATION HEIGHTS, Montego Bay — A committal hearing has been set for August 9 for Anthony Grant who is charged with buggering a 12-year-old girl in a banana field.

The hearing is to determine if the case will be transferred from the parish court to the circuit court.

The date was set on Monday when the matter was called up in the St James Parish Court before Judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley.

Grant, 21, is charged alongside Marlon Reid, 19, who was not in court on Monday. The presiding judge issued a warrant for Reid but stayed the execution until August 9. Grant’s bail was extended.

According to the police, two girls — aged 12 — were walking along the Plantation Heights main road on February 21 when Grant and Reid drove up on a motorcycle and started a conversation with them.

It is alleged that during the conversation Grant pulled one of the girls into a nearby banana field while Reid held on to the other and threatened to shoot her if she called for help.

The complainant asked Grant to let her go but he lifted her up and took her to a nearby banana field, away from the main road. The complainant called out for help to Reid and her friend, who were in the banana field at the time, but Reid did not assist.

Grant allegedly undressed the girl and sexually assaulted her.

A report was made to the police and both men were arrested during an operation on March 16 and subsequently charged.

Grant is represented by attorney-at-law Albert Morgan, while attorney Henry McCurdy represents Reid.