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Trial of accused in murder of Jason Cort aborted again
Yesterday, Justice Brassington Reynolds aborted the trial of Clifton Gibson, Linton Eastman and Stancey Rodney, who are accused of the June 17, 2015 murder of Rubis accountant Jason Cort. The judge came to this decision after it was reported to him that a relative of one of the murder accused, while in the courtroom, waved to the jury forewoman who she knows.
As a result, the judge conducted an inquiry with the murder accused’s lawyer, after which it was concluded that the trial had to be aborted in the interest of justice. This is the second time in less than a month that Justice Reynolds was forced to abort the men’s trial. The trio was scheduled to go on trial from January 15, after they had each pleaded not guilty to murder indictments.
However, the trial was aborted. In the words of Justice Reynolds, there was an “unfortunate development.” According to the judge, it was reported to him that a witness overheard a conversation at the courthouse on January 13. The Judge said that the nature of the conversation, which he did not disclose, could result in the trial having a prejudicial outcome.
Further to that, he said that there is the likelihood of a bias, and as a judge of the law, he has to ensure fairness to sides, the prosecution and defence. Following an inquiry, the judge said that the interest of justice demands that that course be taken—the trial being aborted. In the meantime, the three murder accused were remanded to prison. It is unclear when they will be brought to court again.
Cort, a 27-year-old accounts executive, was gunned down in front of his 262 Jamoon Drive, Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown home by gun-toting bandits, shortly after he had arrived home with his fiancée. He was shot to the chest and died subsequently at Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital.
It was reported that the bandits took Cort’s licenced firearm, cell phone, gold band, chain and ring and an X Box console. According to reports, Cort and his fiancée had just come from a Kingston location, and were preparing to head to another venue on the East Bank of Demerara, when the attack occurred.
It was on February 21, 2017, that the three murder accused were committed to stand trial for the offence following a preliminary inquiry before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman. The Magistrate had ruled that there was sufficient evidence against the three men for a trial. When called on to lead a defence, Rodney and Gibson remained silent, Eastman, on the other hand, testified that he was beaten by police ranks to give a caution statement.
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