Legal matters delay attorney’s trial

The attempted murder trial of attorney Joseph Melville did not continue as expected yesterday. The jury was sent home as attorneys continued dealing with a legal matter which does not concern the jurors. However, the matter was concluded by midday, and trial judge Justice Melville Baird is expected to rule on it today. Melville and taxi driver Hilton Winchester are before a 12-member jury in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court, charged with the attempted murder of Melville’s legal secretary Patricia Cox, kidnapping and conspiracy to murder her, and assault occasioning a wound. The State’s case is that Melville had hired Jason Holder, Ainsley Alleyne and Winchester to kill Cox because Melville feared she might be talking to Fraud Squad officers about some matters he was allegedly involved in.

Cox was lured into Winchester’s car on the pretext that she was going with them to collect some legal documents for her boss. According to the evidence, Melville had telephoned Cox, instructing her to go with the men. On the evening of June 28, 2001, the trio took Cox to Cumberland Hill, St James, where they attempted to murder her. Cox made a daring escape bid when Holder abandoned his plan to smash her head with a stone.  Unfortunately, she was captured, by her pursuer, Holder, who was separated from the others. Holder made Cox strip naked and tied her hands with her brazier and her feet with her shirt. He then put her head on his stomach and began strangling her. It was at that point that nature- watcher Ainsley Le Tren, perched on top of a tower on Cumberland Hill, saw what was happening with the aid of his binoculars and called out. Holder abandoned his stranglehold on Cox and ran towards Le Tren, while dipping his hand in his waist.

Le Tren came down from the tower, jumped on his motorbike and rode off. Meanwhile, Cox regained consciousness, untied her hands and feet, and escaped into the forest where she hid in a hole until the following day. Le Tren reported what he saw to the St James police. Alleyne, 22, of St James, had turned State witness and testified at the preliminary inquiry at the Magistrates’ Court, but died late last year. His deposition was read into the evidence. Holder, however, who was charged with the others, is not before the court because he cannot be found. Melville is being defended by attorneys Nathaniel King and Ken Sagar while Winchester’s lawyer is Thomas Cunningham. Senior State prosecutor Trevor Ward, who is prosecuting is assisted by George Busby.