Fugitive loses appeal for freedom
Published:Wednesday | February 17, 2021 | 5:04 AM
Lawyers representing a 63-year-old man who escaped from prison after he had been convicted of murder and was on the run for 29 years withdrew, on Tuesday, his application before the Court of Appeal for immediate release.
The appellant, Michael Lawrence, who is being detained at the governor general’s pleasure, is contending that his detention is unconstitutional, but the Court of Appeal said that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Attorneys-at-law Melrose Reid and Vincent Henry, who are representing Lawrence, withdrew the application and said they will take another legal route for his release.
Charged for Murder
Lawrence was 14 years old in 1974 when he was charged with an adult and two other juveniles for murder.
The juveniles were convicted in 1976 and the adult sentenced to death. The juveniles were ordered detained at the governor general’s pleasure.
An appeal was filed against their convictions but they lost that challenge in 1979.
Shortly after he lost his appeal, Lawrence escaped from prison.
He said he escaped because he was not guilty.
While he was on the run, he changed his name to Paul James and travelled from Jamaica to Cuba several times. While in Cuba, he mastered the art of painting.
On his return to Jamaica in 2006, he got a job in Kingston and was arrested at his workplace in 2008 and charged with escaping custody. He was found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison.
Lawrence brought an application before the Court of Appeal this week contending that his detention was unconstitutional because his detention should not have been indeterminate.