'Chucky' Brown Trial: Judge warns jury not to be biased

Trial judge Justice Vivene Harris has warned that the jury reach its verdict based on the evidence alone, not on past perceptions of murder-accused Constable Collis ‘Chucky’ Brown, witnesses or the deceased.

During her summation of the evidence in the Home Circuit Court today, she told the jury that they could not make any decision based on sympathy, prejudice or bias.

She said that they should not have prejudice against Brown because he is a police officer, neither against the deceased, who were convicted criminals.

According to the judge, prejudice should not play a role in whether or not they believe the crown’s witness who testified of being a former police informant.

“He’s no paragon of virtue, he’s no saint,” said Harris, who pointed out that whether or not they believed he was telling the truth, despite his background, should be the only consideration.

The high court judge emphasised that their decision must be solely based on the evidence available to them.

The jurors were also warned against speculating about things such as Brown’s psychoanalysis, which were merely mentioned during the trial but not adduced into evidence.

Brown is on trial for the January 10, 2009 murder of Robert 'Gutty' Dawkins, as well as the December 13, 2012 murders of Dwayne Douglas and Andrew Fearon. Both incidents happened in Clarendon.

He is also facing one count of wounding with intent and one count of conspiracy to murder.

Harris will continue her summation on Monday.

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