Naraynsingh juror falls ill

THERE was an unscheduled “rest day” in the Dr Chandra Naraynsingh murder trial yesterday, when a juror fell ill and had to be taken to hospital for treatment. The juror, one of the six female jurors on the 12-member panel trying Seeromani Maraj-Naraynsingh and Elton Ramasir for the 1994 murder of Chandra, is expected to return to the San Fernando High Court today. Naraynsingh was gunned down in the car park at her workplace at Langmore Health Foundation, Palmyra Village, near San Fernando, on June 29, 1994. She was the second wife of prominent vascular surgeon Dr Vijay Naraynsingh. Maraj-Naraynsingh is the professor’s third wife.

When the case was called yesterday, trial judge Herbert Volney informed attorneys that a female juror had been taken to hospital. The judge stood down the case until 10.15 am. When the matter was called again, Volney announced that the report from the hospital was not positive. He said the juror was suffering from a stomach illness. Volney told the court that doctors had treated the female juror with medication and that she would be available for duties on the jury panel today. Two alternate jurors —  male and female — are also sitting in the trial. The State’s case is being led by Special Prosecutor Dana Seetahal. Prosecuting with her is Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Carla Brown-Antoine, and State attorneys Narissa Ramsundar and Nigel Pilgrim.

Maraj-Naraynsingh’s defence is led by Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson-Phillips, Prakash Ramadhar and Camini Naraynsingh-Chan. Ramasir’s attorney is Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and attorney Larry Lalla. Yesterday, one of the State’s main witnesses, Junior Morris, was scheduled to face further cross-examination by Hudson-Phillips. Currently in a State Witness Protection Programme, Morris began giving evidence on Monday. He had told the judge and jury that accused Maraj-Naraynsingh and “an East Indian man” were seeking to hire someone to kill Naraynsingh. Morris testified that the East Indian man was Dr Naraynsingh. 

Vijay Naraynsingh was jointly charged with wife Maraj-Naraynsingh and Ramasir in November 2004 for Chandra’s murder, but he was discharged in the Magistrates’ Court after the preliminary inquiry hearing. Yesterday, another State witness — Shawn Parris — was brought to court. He was escorted from the Maximum Security Prison to testify in the case as another of the State’s main witnesses. Parris is serving a life sentence for killing Chandra. Charged with the murder, Parris pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to life imprisonment. When the trial resumes today, Morris will continue to be cross-examined by Hudson-Phillips and Maharaj. Parris will then take the witness stand.