By Latrishka Thomas
A High Court decision regarding mentally ill murder accused Ziggy Beazer has been postponed as authorities seek an appropriate facility to house him.
Beazer is accused of murdering Leroy Caesar, a 64-year-old from Jennings, reportedly during a fight in their shared cell at St John’s Police Station on December 29 2021.
The reasons for their detention remain unclear. Caesar was found unresponsive and was taken to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre by EMS, where he was pronounced dead at around 10.38pm on that same day.
Beazer, who was previously charged with the murder of Jermaine “Six Months” Destin, was declared unfit for trial in July 2020 due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
He now faces another murder charge and is still considered mentally unsound as disclosed in court last month following a more recent psychological report.
The court was scheduled to decide this week on the best course of action for Beazer but postponed the hearing for further consultation. A decision is now expected by April 9.
The country’s mental health facility is reportedly operating at full capacity, leading to many mentally ill individuals being housed at His Majesty’s Prison.
Prison staff and others have called on authorities to address this issue, as prison officers are ill-equipped to handle mentally ill individuals. The lack of action has resulted in mentally ill prisoners escaping and becoming involved in altercations.
