October 3 court date for councillor on assault charge
Published:Friday | September 8, 2023 | 12:07 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE CASE against David Brown, the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) councillor who reportedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend during a confrontation in May this year, has been put off until October 3. This was done to allow him time to settle his legal representation.
Brown, who is charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and malicious destruction of property, got the new court date and had his bail extended when he appeared in the St James Parish Court on Monday.
During the brief court hearing before presiding judge Sasha-Marie Ashley, it was disclosed that Brown had approached attorney-at-law Henry McCurdy to represent him, and that additional time was needed for that arrangement to be finalised.
The court was also told that Brown and the complainant had attended restorative justice sessions following the case’s previous mention on July 12, but that there was no resolution or agreement between the parties.
Additionally, the complainant was absent from Monday’s sitting, for which her attorney Martyn Thomas gave a brief explanation to the court.
“She is actually in a delicate state, and she is having some issues this morning, but I know that the parties attended mediation,” Thomas said, concerning the complainant.
“Yes, there is a particular request that she has,” Ashley replied, though she did not specify what that request was.
“Indeed, your honour, and I was hoping we could get there … because of the situation, they have also recommended some counselling sessions for the complainant. I see the request of the complainant, but we are not quite there yet, so we are hoping that between now and the next date, perhaps the matters can be resolved,” Thomas commented.
The matter was subsequently set for mention on October 3, at which time the court is expected to receive an update into the resolution of the matter between the parties.
The allegations against Brown are that, on May 28 this year, the complainant, with whom Brown was in a relationship, was sitting in her car when Brown knocked on the vehicle’s window.
The two got into a dispute, during which Brown hit the complainant in her face, causing pain and swelling, and also damaged her car window.
It has also been reported that the complainant is a relative of a prominent political representative.
Brown, who served as the StJMC’s councillor for the Montego Bay West division, was subsequently suspended from the Jamaica Labour Party following his arrest and charge.
The embattled councillor had previously run afoul of the law in 2018 in relation to an outstanding warrant from the St James Family Court concerning a matter with the mother of his child; and also for allegedly hitting a 65-year-old man with his licensed firearm on August 3 that year.
Brown spent five days in police custody before eventually being released.
The assault case was discontinued in 2019 after the complainant indicated that he did not wish to proceed any further against Brown.
Prior to his August 2018 arrest, Brown came under fire for reportedly verbally abusing a woman on social media in March 2018.
At that time, the StJMC’s minority caucus of the People’s National Party served notice that they would bring a motion to have Brown suspended for his alleged actions.