No more delays

Condemned killer Kevon Nurse, who, according to the court, “has been using tactics to delay the start of his appeal,” was warned yesterday by Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma  that June 21, 2005, would be “the end of the line,” for whether Nurse is ready or not on that date, the trial will go on. Nurse, 27, of Leon Street, Success Village, Laventille, was sentenced to death for killing his uncle, Lester Ash, on Christmas Day, 2000. The embattled CJ, made his first appearance on the bench yesterday, since Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced on April 1, his intention to have a tribunal determine whether the CJ should be removed from office. The CJ, who immediately took charge of the appeal before him, seems unperturbed by the battle which seems to be raging around him. 

Yesterday was the third time  Nurse’s appeal was called since it was first listed on May 25, 2004. Immediately, his attorney Sophia Chote, sought leave of the court to withdraw from the matter. She told the court that the situation between herself and her client had deteriorated to such an extent that she found herself no longer able to represent Nurse. Additionally, instructing attorney Michelle Solomon sought leave to withdraw. Chote also told the court, comprising the CJ and Justices Stanley John and Ivor Archie, that Solomon had visited Nurse on Wednesday, and he also wanted a change of attorney.

She reminded the court that the matter had a history, and that she could not fully explain the situation since Nurse had not waived client/attorney privilege. Sharma said he was aware of the history, recalling that Nurse had also changed trial attorneys, and later made serious allegations against the two attorneys who had eventually represented him there. The CJ noted that the court had received a letter from Nurse requesting a change of attorneys and indicated that while it would accede to Nurse’s request, it did so reluctantly. Before doing so, however, the CJ impressed upon Nurse that Chote was a very experienced and competent attorney.

Nurse indicated that he would conduct his own appeal, but the court impressed upon him that such a decision was not advisable, and that he should seek counsel advice. The CJ again reminded Nurse that Chote was a very able and competent attorney. Special prosecutor Dana Seetahal told the court that letters were being published in the press, purportedly written by Nurse’s wife, complaining about the delays to start his appeal. Both Seetahal and the court agreed that the letters were giving the wrong impression — blaming the court when in fact Nurse was the one using delaying tactics. Sharma adjourned the matter, warning Nurse that the trial goes on June 21.