By Latrishka Thomas
In a shocking turn of events, the Crown as represented by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Anthony Armstrong, discharged the four men who were accused of murdering 66-year-old Campbell Jackson in a shooting incident in Gray’s Farm almost three years ago.
Yesterday, the quartet appeared before Justice Stanley John in the High Court expecting to receive a date for their trial.
However, much to everyone’s surprise, the DPP disclosed that the prosecution will be discontinuing the case due to a lack of evidence.
Keneca Ryan, aka “Boom Boom”; Alexis Mussington; Arthur James; and Kenneha Marcel were charged with the killing of the businessman on May 25, 2017.
The four were believed to have shot Jackson while he was sitting outside his Greenbay home.
Jackson’s son, national footballer Jari Jackson, and a family friend, Tevin George, were also shot but they survived.
Ryan was represented by Attorney Michael Archibald while Mussington was represented by Attorney Sherfield Bowen. James and Marcel’s lawyers were Andrew O’Kola and Lawrence Daniel, respectively.
Meanwhile, a date has been set for the murder trial involving Ibell Carr of Table Hill Garden, Liberta who is accused of killing his fellow villager, 40 year old Kelvin Matthew on the Liberta Basketball Court.
Both men allegedly got into a heated argument, which resulted in Carr arming himself with a sharp object which he allegedly used to stab Matthew in his chest.
He was pronounced dead on the spot by a medical doctor.
Carr’s trial will begin on Monday, February 17.
Dorian Marshall, who was found guilty of the murder of Xavier Thomas in a drive-by shooting in 2017, is also slated to be sentenced on the same day.
In late November, a jury of 13 persons concluded that the Donavans man was guilty of murder but were unable to reach the required unanimity in the case against his two co-accused, Jason Millette and Shalom Bailey.
It was reported that on August 18, 2017, a silver or gray Toyota Allion motor car drove up to a shop in Cedar Grove and two of the occupants were said to have pointed guns through the passenger windows and opened fire.
There were several persons sitting on a corner near a shop at the time, including the 20-year-old Thomas, 49-year-old Lorne “T I” Nicholas, and 32-year-old Shane “Trooper” Matthew, all of Cedar Grove.
Thomas was shot in her left leg and abdomen and was transported to the Mount St John’s Medical Centre where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Nicholas and Matthew were shot in the thigh and leg, respectively, and were treated and discharged from the hospital.