Trial date looms for security guard in ‘Slickianna’ murder case

WESTERN BUREAU:

ROHAN ROSE, the security guard who is charged with misprision of felony in the murder of social media personality Aneka ‘Slickianna’ Townsend, will know on May 5 when he will stand trial in the St James Circuit Court.

Rose, 47, of a Hanover address, was given the new court date and had his bail extended by High Court Justice Judith Pusey on Wednesday.

Misprision of felony refers to when someone knows a felony has been committed but fails to inform the authorities.

The matter was adjourned to May 5 after the prosecution told the court that while Rose’s case is ready to be placed on the trial list, further discussions would have to be held with Rose’s lawyer, Martyn Thomas, who was not present in court, to agree on a date for trial.

“Is Mr Thomas still your lawyer?” Pusey asked Rose.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he answered.

“The matter will be mentioned for fixture on May 5, so come back on that date with your lawyer,” Pusey told Rose before extending his bail.

Townsend’s body was retrieved from the sea on the coastline in Reading, St James, on October 21, 2022. A subsequent post-mortem revealed that she had been strangled.

According to the allegations against Rose, Rushawn Patterson, the man charged with Townsend’s murder, confessed to him that he had killed her. However, Rose failed to inform the police, which led to his arrest and charge on November 4, two days after Patterson was arrested following a top-level police operation.

Rose subsequently gave the police a statement regarding Patterson, which led to the latter being formally charged with Townsend’s murder on November 11.

While Rose is currently out on bail, Patterson was denied bail when he last appeared in the St James Circuit Court on March 21 despite claims from his lawyer, Dionne Meyler-Barrett, that he has been endangered while in custody.

Patterson is scheduled to be brought back to court on September 21.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com