Preliminary enquiry into 2012 murder deferred to May 5

WESTERN BUREAU:The preliminary enquiry into the 2012 murder of Salt Spring, St James, resident Rodell Hall failed to get off the ground due to the absence of a number of witnesses from the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The three men accused of Hall's murder - brothers Clyde and Nesta Morlese of Patty Hill in Hanover, and Sheldon Russell of Salt Spring - had their bail extended until May 5, while presiding magistrate Wilson Smith issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a fourth defendant, Damane Samuels, who had been absent on two occasions.

The Morlese brothers, Russell, and Samuels are all charged in connection with Hall's fatal shooting on February 4, 2012, where it is alleged that at approximately 2:10 a.m., the taxi in which the deceased was a passenger was reportedly ambushed by gunmen along the Salt Spring main road. The passengers were ordered out of the car. Hall attempted to escape but was shot and he later died.

"The witnesses will be available after the 29th of April," Clerk of the Court Natalie Malcolm told Smith on Monday.

Russell's defence attorney, Adrian Dayes, complained about the length of time that the case had been listed for preliminary examination.

"The matter has been on the preliminary list for quite some time ... . It is a clear wanton disregard of our rights," Dayes argued in relation to the absence of the witnesses.

However, Smith proceeded to set another preliminary enquiry date for May 5 before allowing the defendants to leave the courtroom.

- Christopher Thomas