Pensioner on murder charge

A NERVOUS, trembling Charles Murray, 79, yesterday appeared in San Fernando Magistrates’ court charged with  murdering 37-year-old Dexter Junior Marshall. Murray, of Newbold Street, Mon Repos ap-peared before acting deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington in the first court to answer the indictable charge laid by Sgt Bernard of Mon Repos Police Station. When his name was called and he was brought before the court from the prisoners’ holding bay, a frail Murray had to be directed by police as to where he should stand before the charge was read out.

The pensioner remain-ed composed as the charge was read out; it stated that on April 1, Marshall was beaten on his head with a piece of wood and stabbed several times about the body, allegedly by Murray. Murray was represented by attorney Steadson Jack and the matter was adjourned to April 16. Curiously, court police allowed the elderly man the opportunity to enter and exit the courthouse through a gate which is barred from the public, thereby thwarting media photographers’ efforts at getting a photo of the elderly accused. This was unusual in that this protocol accorded to Murray was usually reserved for police officers, soldiers and other members of the protective services who face criminal cases before the courts, to protect them from the cameras of the media.