MCMILLEN MURDER TRIAL SET FOR APRIL 2ND
The fate of four American men charged with the murder of New Yorker Lois Livingstone McMillen could be determined within the next few weeks. The case is one of 19 on the list to be heard during the March Criminal Assizes of the High Court of Justice, which opened here Tuesday. The body of the American artist was found along Drakes Highway in West End in January 2000.
The four accused, William Labrador, Michael Spicer, Alexander Benedetto and Evan George, were arrested and charged for the murder within days and remanded into custody in August. While this is certainly the most high profile case, it is noteworthy that there are also nine matters relating to sexual offences to be heard during the March assizes. The others are crimes of assault and dishonesty. Presiding Judge His Lordship Justice Kenneth Benjamin appeared eager to dispense with justice.
Dates were quickly set for all of the cases. With respect to the famous trial, he made it categorically clear to prosecutors that this trial “shall begin” on April 2nd. Prosecutor Terrence Williams requested an adjournment of the McMillen case, citing additional evidence just received in statements via electronic mail that they intend to present and that one of the witnesses from the United Kingdom is not available to the court this month. Counsel for Spicer and George, J.S. Archibald Q.C, with Oscar Ramjeet, said it was “ridiculous to seek another adjournment”. Mr. Archibald argued about the length of time it is taking to get this case heard. “This is a case which cries out for justice; there is not a jot, title or iota of evidence against Spicer and George; this case cries out for a very early trial.”
Attorney Paul Dennis of the firm O’Neal, Webster, O’Neal, Myers, Fletcher & Gordon, counsel for Benedetto, had no difficulty with the adjournment, neither did Labrador’s counsel, Attorney St. Clair Douglas of the firm of McWelling Todman. “It is indeed appalling that at this stage, we are still talking about fresh evidence,” Justice Benjamin advanced. But he hastened to add that commenting on this process did not fall within his ambit. The Judge however agreed that it might make for tidy housekeeping to adjourn the trial, as “when we start, I want no interruptions; I want this case to flow from day one.”
The presiding judge told the prosecutors that he would not tolerate any excuses as to why the trial could not begin April 2nd and if it doesn’t, they would have an uphill task trying to persuade him that the accused should not be discharged. “If there be any extenuating circumstances that could in any way thwart the hearing date, I want to be told about it before April 2nd,” was his parting words on the matter.
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