Judge walks out of court

A HIGH COURT judge presiding over the Kenrick and Chandrouti London murder trial walked out of the courtroom yesterday after warning a defence attorney about his line of questioning.

Justice Ivor Archie rose without warning while attorney Wilston Campbell, who is Chandrouti’s lead attorney, was conducting his cross examination of State witness Sgt Godson Andrews. The judge absented himself from the courtroom chamber for approximately ten minutes. Chandrouti and her husband Kenrick are on trial for the murder of their daughter, Vidya. Justice Archie and a 12-member jury are hearing the case in the Third Criminal Assize at the San Fernando High Court.

Yesterday, Campbell pursued a line of questioning, asking Sgt Andrews to recall between 11.45 pm on December 1, 1997 and 12.10 am on December 2, 1997, at the Chaguanas CID office. Campbell inquired of the police officer: “How many questions did you ask the accused while she was giving the police a statement?” At this point, Jusice Ivor Archie intervened, asking Campbell about the questions’ relevance to his client’s case. “It goes towards the credibility of the witness,” Campbell responded. Justice Archie then remarked: “Every time I ask about relevance when we go astray, the questioning is always credibility.”  However, attorney Campbell sought to assure the judge: “I am sure that I can persuade you that it is relevant.” The judge permitted the attorney to continue but asked that he be guided. Campbell returned to questioning the witness, and asked: “At what point during the interview did you ask the first question?”

Justice Archie then rose quickly and exited the courtroom chamber. However, when the judge returned ten minutes later to the court and proceedings resumed, the defence attorney repeated the last questioning, this time without any objection from the judge.
The case continues today.