Prosecution ready, Trini accused no show

WHILE Trinidadian Cyprian Diaz did not make a court appearance as scheduled yesterday before Judge Seamus Caffery in Room 1103 at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Centre, the prosecution has said they are convinced they are going to do well. “I know we are going to do well,” Assistant District Attorney Mark Gilson said at the court yesterday while waiting for Diaz’s court appointed attorney, Thomas McGill, to put in an appearance on behalf of  his client. When the matter was called just after noon, Gilson told the court  the defence had received the court appointment only on Tuesday, the same day McGill left for London. Attorney Tyrone Norwood, who held for McGill informed the court that McGill was in London visiting family. Diaz, 57, did not appear in court, but the matter was adjourned to July 9 and transferred to Room 903 of the same court. The Trinidadian national is charged with five offences, including two counts of murdering his former common-law-wife Pramatee Ramcharan-Celestine, 40, and her New York-born husband, Eugene Celestine, 29, on June 17 at their home on 54th and Arch Street, West Philadelphia.

Diaz has also been charged with possession of a firearm in a public place, possession of a firearm without a licence, and possession of an instrument of crime. Charges were laid by Detective Lawrence McGuffin of the Philadelphia Police Department. After the hearing Gilson assured Consuelo Paris-Celestine, mother of Eugene Celestine that Diaz will not be getting  out of jail in a hurry, and that alleged murderers don’t just “slip through the system.” Norwood, holding for defence counsel McGill, said he did not want to comment, saying the defence knew “absolutely nothing” about the case and that McGill is the one on record.  He added that they have not yet spoken to Diaz, who up to late evening had not given a statement to the Philadelphia police.  Gilson stressed that it was Diaz’s right. The prosecuting attorney also said that if the matter had started yesterday at least “one or two witnesses” would have been called to give evidence to show that there was evidence to send the case for trial.  Asked who the witnesses were Gilson said:  “It might very well have been his children.” Philadelphia detectives who worked on the investigations said the prosecution is in good hands with the case,  with the appointment of Gilson, who was the lead attorney in the December 2001,  Lex Street massacre, described as the largest mass murders in the history of Philadelphia. In that incident, ten people were shot. Seven of them, including one woman, died.  Three others were injured. Two persons have so far pleaded guilty. One of them will be sentenced Monday to seven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.  The other person who pleaded guilty, Gilson said, is co-operating  with the police, and under a plea agreement he will not be sentenced, but will instead testify against two other accused who are awaiting trial. Gilson has been with the District Attorney’s department for the past 18 years.