Murder suspect twice not brought to court despite judge's order, attorney says

Lawyer Donnovan Collins says police ignored court orders twice, failing to bring murder accused Reo Rochester to Trelawny Parish Court for scheduled hearings.

Murder accused kept from court twice as police ignore judge's order, attorney charges

Police investigators failed on two separate occasions to bring a murder accused before the Trelawny Parish Court as ordered, his attorney Donnovan Collins has charged, according to jamaica-gleaner.com.

Reo Rochester, 28, was scheduled to appear at the Trelawny Parish Court on September 22 and again on October 7 for a committal proceeding hearing — a process to determine whether his murder case should be transferred to the higher circuit court. He did not appear on either date.

Rochester faces a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of Rumish Orlando Johnson in Albert Town, Trelawny, on April 16, 2022. He is also charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rochester had been listed on the police wanted list before his arrest in August this year.

Collins said investigators from the Kingston East Police Division removed Rochester from Trelawny, stating he was needed for an identification parade. "I objected to that based on the fact that he has gone to court and has been exposed on more than one occasion," the attorney explained.

Rochester was subsequently not produced for either of his two scheduled court appearances, forcing the committal proceeding hearing to be adjourned on both occasions.

"The police ignored the court, as Mr Rochester was never brought to court, which resulted in the committal proceeding hearing being adjourned," Collins said.

The attorney raised broader concerns about the rule of law. "We can't say that there is integrity in the justice system if the police continue to disregard orders of the court," Collins complained.

Source: Google News JM — Crime