Lawyer goes on trial for attempted murder

A LAWYER and a taxi driver went on trial yesterday on a four-count indictment which included attempted murder.

Attorney Melvin Joseph and taxi driver Hilton Winchester appeared before Justice Melville Baird in the Port-of-Spain First Assizes, charged with conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and assault. A jury of six women and three men plus four alternates was impanelled. However, senior State prosecutor Trevor Ward, assisted by George Busby, did not make an opening address to the jury. Ward said he wanted to make legal submissions before doing so. Defence attorney Nathaniel King and Thomas Cunningham also wanted to make legal submissions in the absence of the jury.

Another accused, Jason Holder, was named in the indictments but was not in court. It is alleged that Melville, Winchester, Holder and another man, kidnapped and conspired to murder Patricia Cox in Port-of-Spain, on June 28, 2001. They also assaulted Cox occasioning actual bodily harm and attempted to murder her in St James on the same day. Justice Baird is expected to rule this morning on the legal issues raised before him.