Pitman constitutional motion on hold

According to Pitman’s attorney Gregory Delzin, he was told the matter was listed for the Port-of-Spain First Civil Court, but when State and defence attorneys showed up, presiding judge Justice Carlton Best informed them that he had a fixed list and their matter was not on it.

However, in spite of what seems to have been a glitch in assigning the matter to a court, attorneys from both sides agreed to put a hold on the motion until Pitman’s appeal against his murder conviction before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is heard and determined.

Delzin brought the motion against the State after the death warrant to execute Pitman was read to him earlier this year. It turned out that the warrant was read while Pitman’s appeal to the Judicial Committee was still pending.

Pitman and his partner in crime Daniel Agard, were convicted for the murders of Maggie Lee, Lynette Pearson and John Cropper on December 11, 2001, at Cascade. Agard was ordered a retrial by the Court of Appeal while Pitman’s death sentence was upheld by the appellate court.