650 jurors sent home

APPROXIMATELY 1,100 potential jurors were summoned to the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. By the end of the day, 450 stood alone as the other 650 were exempted from further jury duty for various reasons. The 450 were told to return to court tomorrow when the selection of a jury to hear the evidence against Jamaat al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr will begin. The large panel of jurors returned to the Hall of Justice yesterday — the second time in less than a week. Unlike last Tuesday when madness and chaos reigned, yesterday was well-organised as the court officials handled the exercise with precision. Justice Mark Mohammed, presiding in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court, arrived in court at 9.30 am and addressed the jurors through the video/audio link-up.

He said he hoped that things would run smoothly, saying the court staff worked overtime to ensure that the jurors were comfortable. Pamela Elder SC, lead attorney for Bakr, told the court she had no further legal submission to make and the time had come to arraign the accused. After a technical glitch with the video-audio link-up, Bakr was arraigned. It was alleged that Bakr, on June 4, 2003, at Citrine Avenue, Diamond Vale, Diego Martin, conspired with Brent “Big Brent” Miller, David “Buffy” Millard, Dwight, Crock, Skins, and Damien, to murder Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah. When asked by the court clerk how he pleaded, Bakr replied, “I am not guilty, sir.” Justice Mohammed then spoke to the panel of jurors. He asked if any of the jurors had any relationship with the accused, his family, the State witnesses, or with any of the lawyers in the case.

He then listed the names of the State witnesses — Zaki Aubaidah, Salim Rasheed, Steve Khan, Brent Miller, Brent Danglade, Virginia Bowen, Sgt Wayne Dick, Sgt Clyde Phillip, PC Roger Grant, PC Wendell Lucas, WPC Thalia Francis, Prison Officer Dale Sennon, Prison Officer Mark Rougier, Supt Ruthven Paul, PC Michael Veronique, and Cpl Jayson Forde. Within seconds, there was a line outside the courtroom. Potential jurors, in open court, gave several reasons for wanting exemption on this issue — they knew the accused, they knew his wives, they knew his relatives, they had a working relationship with the accused, they conducted banking transactions, one was a neighbour, and one was related to Jilla Bowen, the woman killed outside the MovieTowne cineplex.

At the end of the exercise, 119 potential jurors were exempted and sent home. Then came the other issue. Justice Mohammed said the attorneys estimated that the trial could last at least one month. He said the possibility exists that the jury could be sequestered. He said the jury would be kept together and housed at a hotel at the public’s expense. Justice Mohammed said the jury would be isolated from all news reports and from the public generally for the consideration of the evidence produced in the court. He then addressed the jurors. “If any of you have any reason to believe you will suffer exceptional hardship, other than the inconvenience that jury service will cause everyone, please identify yourself to the Marshals.”

The flood gates were opened and there was a rush to the courtroom. Hundreds stood in line to be exempted on the ground of hardship associated with sequestration. Justice Mohammed stated that because of the high number of jurors seeking exemption, the exercise could continue today. At least 530 potential jurors sought exemption on this ground. Justice Mohammed sought assistance from temporary High Court Judge Devan Rampersad to hear the applications for exemption. By 1.50 pm, Justice Mohammed pointed out that 450 potential jurors had not applied for exemption. He asked those jurors to return tomorrow for the start of the selection of the panel. In sending them away, Justice Mohammed asked them not to discuss the case with anyone. He said if any person approached them asking questions about the case, decline comment. “Please do not discuss this case with anyone, your friends, business associates, family members, no one,” the judge warned.