RM Fraser to remain on Al Miller case
Published:Thursday | February 17, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser yesterday turned down an application from lawyers representing the Reverend Al Miller, head of the Fellowship Tabernacle Church, for her to remove herself from the case.
Miller is being represented by Wentworth Charles and Leslie Campbell.
The lawyers wanted Fraser to recuse herself because she was the magistrate who signed the arrest warrant for then fugitive Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
They also argued that Fraser was the magistrate that heard the proceedings where Coke waived his rights to an extradition hearing in Jamaica.
The lawyers pointed out that they were not accusing the magistrate of bias, but they believed that given her involvement, she should not try Miller's case.
Fraser then refused to step down and set March 23 as the trial date.
Miller's lawyers gave notice that the defence would be taking the matter to the Judicial Review Court. The attorneys then asked the judge to grant a stay of her ruling, but that request was also refused.
Miller has been charged with perverting the course of justice and harbouring a fugitive.
The charges were levelled against Miller after he was found in a car in the company of Coke along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine in June last year.