June 14 hearing date for St James man on two 2023 murder charges

WESTERN BUREAU:

The St James Parish Court has set June 14 as the committal hearing date for Nigel ‘Mad Ras’ Bailey, the man charged with the 2023 murders of Kemar Henry and Owen Morris, to determine when his case will go before the St James Circuit Court.

Bailey, who is of a Bickersteth address in St James, was remanded when he made his latest court appearance on Wednesday, before presiding parish judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton.

During Bailey’s brief appearance before the court, the prosecution indicated that a hearing date could be set for his matters to be heard, and that a date could be set for document bundles to be submitted to the defendant’s lawyer, Henry McCurdy.

Following further discussions, Judge Fairclough-Hylton set Bailey’s next court date for June 14, and remanded him until that time.

“You’ll be coming back to court on June 14, 2024. June 14 will be the hearing of your matters, of both matters. Bundles are to be served on or before 31 May, 2024,” said Judge Fairclough-Hylton, referencing the latest date by which McCurdy is to receive the document bundle regarding his client.

Bailey’s two murder charges were previously laid against him concerning the October 24, 2023 murder of Owen Morris, a 41-year-old chef of a Tank Road address in Cambridge, St James, and the December 10, 2023 slaying of Kemar Henry, otherwise called ‘Brukky’ and ‘Diamonds’ of an Anchovy address in the parish.

The allegations relating to Morris’ killing are that on October 24, the now-deceased man was standing at a business establishment in the Cambridge community when a white Toyota Fielder motor vehicle approached. Bailey and another man, armed with guns, alighted and opened fire at Morris, hitting him all over his body.

The men escaped in the waiting motor car, and Morris was assisted to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Regarding the death of Henry, the allegations are that on December 10, he was among a group of people in the Anchovy community when they were approached by men travelling in a Toyota Axio motor car, Bailey reportedly being among them.

It is further alleged that Bailey and his accomplices exited the vehicle and opened gunfire, hitting Henry in the head, before making their escape. The police were summoned, and Henry was transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Bailey was apprehended by the police during an operation in Kitson Town, St Catherine, on January 4 this year. He was subsequently charged with murder, pertaining to both men.

Bailey first appeared before the St James Parish Court on January 31 in relation to Henry’s murder, and on February 16 in relation to Morris’ murder.

During his court appearance on January 31, Bailey was denied bail by Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley, the presiding parish judge at the time, on the grounds that he was a potential flight risk as he was found by the police in St Catherine more than a month after Henry was killed.

christopher.thomas@ gleanerjm.com