Attempted murder charge to be upgraded after victim dies

Malvern Nigel James of Sea View Farm may be charged with murder or manslaughter after Glenmore “Natty” Hughes, the man he reportedly slapped and caused to fall and hit his head on the road, died on Saturday.
James, who was charged with the attempted murder of Hughes after the February 10 altercation, was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison when he appeared in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday.
A well-placed source, who is not authorised to speak to the press, told OBSERVER that upgrading the charge “is a matter of formality now, since the man died within 365 days of being injured, allegedly at the hands of James”.
The source said the investigation is ongoing and the results of an autopsy will determine the lawmen’s next course of action.
But police said they have not yet upgraded the charge because they have not decided whether James would be charged with murder or manslaughter.
The Sea View Farm resident was charged with attempted murder for allegedly causing the serious head injury of his 47-year-old friend, also of Sea View Farm, who had been on life support for eight days in the Intensive Care Unit at Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) before his death.
Last week, Hughes’ family members told OBSERVER media that doctors had reported that not much more could have been done to save his life.
The accused was scheduled to return to the All Saints Magistrate’s Court in May for committal proceedings on the former charge.
OBSERVER media reached out to Hughes’ family to find out how they, including his only child, had been coping since his death, but our attempts were unsuccessful.