Beachy Stout evidence admissibility hearing to continue for another week

An in-camera hearing that is currently taking place in the murder trial involving Portland businessman Everton 'Beachy Stout' McDonald is to continue for another week.

Therefore, the trial will resume hearing testimony from witnesses next Tuesday.

A voir dire – a trial within a trial ­– which started last Monday is being done to determine the admissibility of crucial evidence in the prosecution's case.

The jury, which was last Monday advised to attend this morning, was further instructed to return next Tuesday and released by Justice Chester Stamp.

The media, in the meantime, are not allowed to cover the voir dire, as the jurors were not present. 

McDonald and his co-accused, Oscar Barnes, are currently on trial for the alleged murder of 32-year-old businesswoman, Tonia McDonald. 

Denvalyn 'Bubbla' 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 his wife 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 was set ablaze along a deserted road in Sherwood Forest in Portland on July 20, 2020. 

Five witnesses, including Minott, Tonia's mother, and a convict who claimed that he was also hired by Beachy to disfigure his wife with black acid, have so far taken the stand in the trial, which is slated to hear some 21 witnesses. 

Attorney-at-law Earl Hamilton leads the team of five lawyers representing Beachy, which includes his son Jon-Paul Hamilton, Christopher Townsend, Courtney Rowe and John Jacobs. 

Barnes is represented by Ernest Davis and Vincent Wellesley.  

- Tanesha Mundle

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