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JAM | May 7, 2024

Juror shortage stalls Keith Clarke’s murder trial once more

Vanassa McKenzie

Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A shortage of jurors has once again stalled the commencement of the murder trial of the three Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers accused of murdering businessman Keith Clarke.

Justice Dale Palmer moved to postpone the start today, May 7, due to the lack of jurors to commence the empanelling process.

The empanelling process is a process by which jurors are selected for a trial from a pool of jurors. Only 15 jurors were present for the trial this morning. Thirty-two jurors are needed for the empanelling process to begin.

Wooden brown judge gavel, decision glossy mallet for court verdict. 3d realistic vector, isolated on white background. Hammer with gold on the stand. Law and justice system symbol.

Last week, the murder trial was postponed to yesterday, May 6, to facilitate an application for a stay of proceedings in the Court of Appeal. However, the Court of Appeal this morning rejected the application for the trial to be put on hold.

The matter was initially set for April 15, but was adjourned due to a shortage of jurors.

Corporal Odel Buckley, Lance Corporal Greg Tinglin, and Private Arnold Henry were charged in 2012 with the murder of Clarke at his St Andrew residence.

Clarke was shot and killed at his Kirkland Heights residence in May 2010 during a military operation to capture convicted drug lord Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

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juror shortage Keith Clarke murder trial Supreme Court

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