New witness statements halt Beachy Stout murder trial
Published:Tuesday | October 24, 2023 | 12:32 PM
The emergence of two new statements from the contract killer in the murder of Tonia McDonald this morning halted proceedings in the trial.
Presiding judge, Justice Chester Stamp ordered a 30-minute break for the defence to assess the statements after attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend revealed that he was mistakenly presented with the statements.
The attorney, while noting that the two statements are dated June and October 2020, told the judge that the situation amounted to a serious issue with disclosure.
He further indicated that the statements are significant and could have assisted the defence in their preparation but were never disclosed.
Denvaly Minott, who is the prosecution's star witness, testified that he had given the police three statements.
The lead prosecutor expressed surprise, noting that everything should have been served.
The prosecutor added that disclosure is ongoing and that the defence has been served with everything on the file up to two weeks ago.
While noting that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has many officers, the prosecutor conceded that it was the Crown's responsibility to ensure that disclosure is made.
In the meantime, Justice Stamp described this morning's turn of events as an extraordinary and shocking development.
"It is the kind of thing that should result in sanctions, but I am not sure what kind of sanction will advance the interest of justice at this time," he expressed.
Everton 'Beachy Stout' McDonald and his co-accused, Oscar Barnes, are currently on trial for the alleged murder of 32-year-old businesswoman, Tonia McDonald.
Minott, who is currently serving 19 years in prison for his role in the murder, testified that Beachy Stout had contracted him in 2020 to kill Tonia for a fee of $3 million, but that he sub-contracted the job to Barnes.
The woman's partially burnt body was found with her throat slashed in her car which had been set ablaze along a deserted road in Sherwood Forest in Portland on July 20, 2020.
- Tanesha Mundle
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