‘Chucky’ Brown sentencing pushed back

It was an anticlimactic day at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston yesterday as the sentencing of Constable Collis 'Chucky' Brown, who was, last month, found guilty of three counts of murder, was postponed until January 3, 2019.

Presiding judge Justice Vivene Harris yesterday told the court that aspects of the social enquiry and probation reports needed to be tested.

She then ordered that individuals who contributed to the reports, such as probation officers and community members from Clarendon and Manchester, appear in court on the day of sentencing.

Brown was convicted on charges stemming from the January 10, 2009, murder of Damoy 'Gutty' Dawkins and the December 13, 2012, murders of Dwayne Douglas and Andrew Fearon in Clarendon.

In another matter, trial judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes is expected to make a ruling on three statements given by a witness who is now deceased when the trial for three Clarendon cops is resumed on January 2, 2019.

The issue first took centre stage on November 27 when lead prosecutor and Queen's Counsel Caroline Hay sought to adduce statements said to have been taken from Christian Rhoden, who is now deceased.

The defence objected to the submission, noting that the signatures on the statements were different. Justice Sykes agreed with the observation.

In an application to the court, the Crown sought to prove that the statements had been signed by Rhoden.

The hearing of the application ended yesterday, with Justice Sykes reserving his ruling until the trial is resumed.