Man arrested for stoning cousin

Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:A St James man who admitted to throwing stones at his cousin was remanded in police custody until May 1 when he appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Romario Davidson, who is of a Norwood address in St James, pleaded guilty with explanation to unlawful wounding committed against Rohan Clarke. He was taken back into custody in order to give the prosecution time to complete its case file.

The court was told that, on April 1, Davidson and Clarke got into an argument which escalated into a fight. Clarke subsequently left, but later that day Davidson confronted the complainant at home and threw stones at him, one of which hit Clarke above his left eye and caused a wound.

It is further alleged that, sometime after that encounter, Davidson and a group of men verbally abused Clarke and Davidson threatened Clarke with a gun. A report was made to the police and Davidson was arrested on April 8.

In his explanation, Davidson told presiding magistrate Carolyn Tie that, on the day of the alleged incident, Clarke had attacked him first.

"I got up and went up the road, and I saw him (Clarke) come and 'drape' me up and say that me a call up him name to say him is a homosexual ... he punched me in my face and hit out four of my teeth," said Davidson.

However, Clarke refuted Davidson's account, saying that their family relations had soured.

"It started to go bad from a few years ago, and I made complaints to his (Davidson's) mother to talk to him. The thing about 'homosexual,' that is a lie," Clarke told RM Tie.

The court was told that the investigating officer had not applied to get Clarke's medical certificate from the hospital, and the arresting officer's statement was outstanding from the prosecution's case file.

"Your fingerprints will be taken and you will be brought back to court on May 1," RM Tie told Davidson.