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Prosecution’s Case In Murder Re-Trial Hanging By a Thin Legal Thread
posted (June 20, 2018)

Last night, we told you how Orel Leslie, one of the men accused of the the 2012 murder of James Noralez, is having difficulty to get his civil suit against the prison heard. 

He has complained that his constitutional rights to a fair re-trial were being violated, and his civil case was supposed to start yesterday before Justice Courtney Abel. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen because he has to wait until the criminal retrial is complete before he can be available to present himself before Justice Abel.

Well, it appears that the Crown Counsel prosecuting him and his fellow defendants are having difficulties of their own. The main witnesses who is supposed to testify against them, has not been able to take the stand as yet. The court has granted adjournments to accommodate him,  but he hasn't been showing up for his court appearances to give evidence.

He is the main link between the 3 accused: Leslie, Tyrone Meighan, and Brandon Baptist. He is supposed to provide testimony to the court that on November 26, 2012, these 3 men acted in joint enterprise to murder Noralez.

But, Crown Counsel Sheneiza Smith has so far been unsuccessful in getting him on the stand. On the first scheduled date, he showed up 2 hours after he was supposed to, and he was held on a bench warrant. The Crown Counsel was able to show that he is sick with diabetes, and so, Justice Colin Williams, gave him a new date to show up, which was supposed to be Monday. In that time, Crown Counsel Smith has been able to call her other formal witnesses.

This main crown witness did not show up as he was supposed to, and so, Crown Counsel Smith made an an application before the court to allow this witness to testify to the court via a video live link. That way, he would not have to show up to court in person, and his testimony could still be admitted against the 3 accused. 

The judge has requested that Smith must submit written arguments justify why he should allow the witness to testify via this method instead. He mentioned that ordinarily, such an application is made only when a witness is out of the country, and cannot make it back for a trial, or for some other exceptional reasons.

The case has been adjourned until tomorrow where this particular application will be argued by both sides.

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