‘Slickianna’ murder case rescheduled to October 24
Accused killer still on bail
Published:Saturday | October 19, 2024 | 12:07 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The case against Rushawn Patterson, the Hanover man charged with the October 2022 murder of social media influencer Aneka ‘Slickianna’ Townsend, has been rescheduled to October 24 after it was unexpectedly brought up in the St James Circuit Court on Thursday.
Patterson’s case, initially slated for mention on Friday, was postponed because of an incomplete prosecution case file. His bail, extended in a previous court appearance on September 23, remains in effect.
Speaking to The Gleaner yesterday, Patterson’s attorney, Dionne Meyler, explained that her client was absent when the case was called up on Thursday morning. She noted that, although they were taken off guard, shifting the schedule of cases is not uncommon.
“All of today’s matters were brought forward yesterday [Thursday], and they did not tell anybody; they just shifted them. Mr Patterson’s next court date is October 24, and he was not here yesterday, but he came later when he heard that they wanted him to be here,” said Meyler.
Communication ‘glitch’
“There was some glitch in the communication but I think there was an issue with the judge, Justice Bertram Morrison, not being available today.”
“Nothing has changed in Mr Patterson’s case, so there is no new development. They did not go into anything because he was not here, and I was not here; it was just a matter of changing the date,” continued Meyler. “It is not unusual for these things to happen, as there can be breaks in communication from time to time. Emergencies will occur, and they may know about it but may not get the chance to inform everyone.”
During Patterson’s previous court appearance on September 23, it was disclosed that the post-mortem report and a DNA report were still outstanding in the prosecution’s case file.
Patterson was arrested on November 2, 2022, during a high-level police operation, after Townsend’s body was found floating in the sea in Reading, St James, on October 21 that year.
A subsequent post-mortem determined that Townsend had been strangled, with her death occurring sometime between 11 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, and 9 a.m. on Friday, October 21. Patterson was formally charged with her murder on November 11.
According to police reports, Townsend had travelled from Kingston to Montego Bay on October 20, 2022 and was later picked up by Patterson. They visited a restaurant in Hanover and then a guest house in St James. At some point during the night, an argument developed between the two, leading to Townsend’s strangulation and the disposal of her body.
Patterson, who had previously been held in custody throughout his court appearances, was granted bail on humanitarian grounds on July 16. Attorney Meyler argued at the time that Patterson suffers from hemophilia, a blood disorder that affects how blood clots and causes wounds to take longer to heal, requiring medical treatment outside of police custody.