Woman moves to sue Magistrate over ruling

Mar 04, 2012 News

An East Coast Demerara woman is contemplating legal action against a Magistrate whom she said had caused her heartache and embarrassment after she had male officers physically remove her from the Sparendaam Courtroom and further sought to lock her up for three months.
Arlene Rodney, of Lot 28 Railway Line, Triumph, is adamant that she must receive compensation for the unfair treatment she received due to the unjust call of Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Rodney said that last August, a neighbour reported to the Beterverwagting Police Station that she was a noise nuisance, that she would play her gospel music too loud. The woman said she was never contacted by the police and had no idea of the charge until the police served her with a writ of summons for court.
She said that the summons had the wrong date (Wednesday September 19, 2011) and the Magistrate herself had signed to it. She said the date and the day did not correspond, but she however went to court on both dates – September 19 and September 21, the latter being the Wednesday.
Rodney further said that there was no matter for her on any of the days and after being referred back to the police station, received a new court date December 16. But before the woman could have made it back to court, Rodney claimed she was attacked by her neighbour.
According to Rodney, in November last, her neighbour, Michelle Gilkes, reportedly entered her yard, sneaked up on her from behind and wounded her with a knife. She said there was no exchange of words or a confrontation before Gilkes’ attack.
Rodney recalled that she went to make a report, again to the Beterverwagting Police Station but was given no justice. Instead, she said that she was ordered to sign a document saying that she used threatening language to Gilkes.
She said that she refused, and tried to explain that there was no confrontation just a blatant attack. She was however told to appear at Sparendaam Court on November 9 last year.
Rodney claimed that at the court, Magistrate Latchman read the assault charge to her neighbour who pleaded not guilty and was placed on $80,000 bail. Rodney was subsequently read her charge and placed on $25,000 bail.
But the woman said knowing her innocence, she requested an audience with the Magistrate to explain her situation. Instead Latchman told the woman to keep her explanation, despite the prosecutor telling the magistrate that a medical was available. She said she subsequently heard the magistrate say that she would be imprisoned because she missed her court date, the same wrong court date that Latchman had signed her name to.
The woman said she cried and begged the court to hear her, but Latchman then ordered male ranks to physically remove her from the courtroom. Rodney said she then sought the services of a lawyer who sought bail in the High Court.
The woman said she had to sleep on the cold concrete in the lock ups for a crime she did not commit but by the next day she was able to post bail.
Rodney now bent on getting justice, wrote to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Home Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s office. Rodney claimed she was later requested by the Acting Chancellor who apologized, not for the Magistrate, “but for what I had gone through with the police and then the court.”
Rodney said Latchman was summoned to hold a confrontation with her but she refused, claiming she had no such time to waste. Every other attempt, Rodney said, to contact the woman proved futile as Latchman refused to submit herself.
Rodney however says that she will get her turn when her lawyer serves Latchman with a writ of summons.

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Woman moves to sue Magistrate over ruling

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