Trio freed after gun found in fridge
Published:Tuesday | December 8, 2020 | 12:13 AMRasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
Three Clarendon residents were freed in the Clarendon Circuit Court of gun-related charges following a successful no-case submission by their legal team.
The accused are Andre Hinds, 34; Raymond Walker, 23; and Andrea Chalmer, 41, of May Pen, Clarendon.
When the matter came up for mention on December 1 before Justice Leighton Pusey, attorneys-at-law Sheldon Campbell and George Slew submitted that while the gun may have been found inside a fridge, the Crown could not prove that the accused had knowledge or control of the weapon.
The Crown subsequently agreed with the defence’s submission and Justice Pusey ordered that the trio be freed of all charges.
Facts are that in July 2019, police operatives from Clarendon executed a search warrant at 12 Hartwell Gardens in May Pen.
During the intelligence-driven operation, a refrigerator was searched, and a loaded Glock pistol containing a magazine and 15 rounds of ammunition was seized.
A further search reportedly resulted in the seizure of an empty magazine inside a toilet tank.
All three accused were arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
Following further investigations, they were formally charged.