By Latrishka Thomas
A staff member of Antigua News Room could have been fined or imprisoned yesterday when she showed up to court as the news entity’s representative to answer to a contempt of court charge.
Late last month, the Antigua News Room and Antigua Breaking News websites were subpoenaed to appear in the High Court for allegedly publishing “privileged information” on October 7 2022, in defiance of a court order.
Justice Colin Williams is said to have barred the media from publishing details of a closed hearing in the Mikhail Gomes murder case. Gomes is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Vincia James in 2018.
The trial was set to begin on October 4 but was abruptly adjourned for reasons that were not to be disclosed to the public.
Just seconds after attorney Andrew O’Kola, who was prosecuting the case, finished giving the jury a summary of the case, defence attorney Lawrence Daniels asked to speak to the prosecution and the presiding judge Colin Williams in his chambers.
When the parties returned, the jury was dismissed, the case was adjourned and the non-court staff asked to vacate the courtroom.
A gag order was reportedly placed on all the parties present in that closed hearing.
But the two news entities are said to have violated that order.
Yesterday, a woman turned up to court representing Antigua News Room and indicated that she was neither the editor nor the author of the article in question.
The judge also indicated that he was expecting the author of the article to appear but as a representative of the company she could be penalised, especially since the editor currently lives overseas.
Justice Williams advised her of the seriousness of the matter and therefore gave her time to consult with the editor of the website and to obtain legal counsel.
The matter has been adjourned until November 10.
No one from Antigua Breaking News turned up in court.
