By Latrishka Thomas
Murder accused Brittany Jno-Baptiste is set to respond to the serious criminal charge against her on January 22 during her arraignment before a High Court judge.
She is accused of killing long-time Piccadilly resident Jane Finch in 2021.
Jno-Baptiste made her initial appearance in the High Court on Monday, but her arraignment was deferred to allow her lawyer, Wendel Alexander, sufficient time to discuss the matter with her.
The accused was reportedly discovered in Finch’s home on October 4 that year, the same time the 66-year-old was found dead there.
Finch was discovered after apparently making a distress call to the Dockyard Police Station and posting a plea for help on Facebook claiming an intruder was attempting to break into her property.
Upon entering the home, law enforcement reportedly found Jno-Baptiste alongside Finch’s body, which was riddled with stab wounds.
At first, the defendant was only charged with burglary because of her then mental state.
In January 2022, psychiatrist Dr James King deemed Jno-Baptiste to be suffering from a psychological disorder which made her unfit to answer to any charges.
He recommended that she receive six months of treatment.
After that time had passed, Jno-Baptiste was re-evaluated and cleared to stand trial.
She was slapped with the murder charge on August 3 2022.
A few months later the burglary charge was withdrawn and the murder case was sent up to the High Court where the defendant made her first appearance yesterday.
During the committal proceedings, the prosecution had indicated that they have four pieces of evidence and 22 witnesses who could testify against Jno-Baptiste if she pleads not guilty to killing Canadian-born Finch who had lived in Antigua for more than four decades.
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