Prosecution to present closing arguments Monday

THE CROWN will on Monday begin presenting closing arguments in the trial of alleged King Valley gang members, who are accused of carrying out murders, rapes and robberies in the Westmoreland community of Grange Hill and its environs.

This comes after attorneys, who were yesterday expected to call witnesses to the stand, indicated that they were unable to do so, subsequently closing their respective cases.

Donald Bryan, the attorney for accused Rannaldo McKennis, told the court that he was unable to secure a witness while attorney-at-law Russell Stewart, who is representing Lindell Powell, told the court that his witness was 10 minutes away.

Presiding judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes instructed the court to rise for 15 minutes, pending the arrival of the witness.

When the trial resumed, calls were made for the witness, who his attorney said was outside the court, but he could not be found.

After asking for the court’s leave to locate the witness, Sykes instructed the court to rise again, this time for half an hour.

But efforts to locate the witness proved futile, forcing Stewart to close his client’s case when court resumed.

Meanwhile, the prosecution yesterday indicated that it could make closing arguments later yesterday afternoon, but it was agreed that closing arguments would begin on Monday to give attorneys adequate time to prepare.

Powell, McKennis, Derval Williams, Copeland Sankey, Christon Grant and Carlington Godfrey are on trial for breaches of Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) 2014, commonly called the Anti-Gang legislation, in relation to crimes committed between 2016 and 2018.