Defence, prosecution to hold talks on Shineka Gray case

WESTERN BUREAU:

Gregory Roberts and Mario Morrison, the two men charged with the 2017 murder of St James schoolgirl Shineka Gray, will return before the St James Circuit Court on April 11, when their attorneys will hold discussions with the prosecution on how the case will proceed.

Roberts and Morrison were given the new date and were remanded by presiding High Court Justice Martin Gayle yesterday.

It was also disclosed that the prosecution’s case file would undergo further assessment as part of those discussions.

The body of 15-year-old Shineka Gray, who was a grade 10 student at the Green Pond High School in St James, was found with multiple stab wounds in bushes in Irwin, St James, on February 1, 2017, three days after she was reported missing. She was last seen alive in Montego Bay on her way home from the funeral of a schoolmate.

Following intensive investigations by the police, Roberts and Morrison were later arrested and charged. Roberts is represented by attorney Chumu Parris, while Morrison’s lawyer is Martyn Thomas.

The men were originally to stand trial in the St James Circuit Court on November 19, 2018, but the case was put off due to a lack of jurors. At that time, Roberts made an application, through his lawyer, for the trial to be held outside of St James, citing concerns for his safety, but that application was denied.

Other issues have delayed the start of the trial, including Roberts’ frequent lack of legal representation prior to his securing the services of attorney Parris. In addition to Parris, Roberts was also represented by attorney Shelly-Ann Hyman, who withdrew her services when the case was last mentioned on March 22.

Christopher Thomas