Accused in Shineka Gray murder still without a lawyer
WESTERN BUREAU: GREGORY ROBERTS and Mario Morrison, the two men accused of murdering 15-yearold Green Pond High School student Shineka Gray, were again remanded when Roberts turned up in court without a lawyer.
When the men appeared in the St James Parish Court, clerk of the court Reginald England told presiding judge Sandria WongSmall that a lawyer had not yet been assigned to represent Roberts, although contact had been made with the Legal Aid Clinic prior to the defendants’ last court appearance on March 15.
“The Legal Aid Clinic was, in fact, contacted, but as to who was assigned to represent Mr Roberts, I have no instructions,” England told the court. “The representative from the Legal Aid Clinic had interviewed him ... . Perhaps, he could be offered some assistance.”
Upon hearing England’s explanation, the judge asked that fresh contact be made with the Legal Aid Clinic so the matter of representation for Roberts can be sorted out.
The court was also told that a number of documents, including the post-mortem report and the Communication Forensic and Cyber-Crime Unit report, were still outstanding from the prosecution’s case file and would not be ready before another six weeks.
Unlike Roberts, Morrison’s legal situation has been settled, as he is being represented by attorney Martyn Thomas. Prior to setting the next court date for May 17, the judge expressed a desire to see the matter of Roberts’ legal representation settled and the case file completed and ready for that sitting of the court.
Gray, a resident of Mt Salem in Montego Bay, was found with multiple stab wounds in bushes in the Irwin community, also in St James, on February 1, three days after she went missing. She attended the funeral of a former schoolmate, but never returned home.
Following intensive investigations by the St James police, Roberts and Morrison were taken into custody and questioned. They were subsequently arrested and charged with the murder.