High Court Judge Colin Williams has denied a bail application for Jonathan Lehrer, one of two American nationals charged with the murders of famed Canadian animator Daniel Langlois, 66, and his longtime partner Dominique Marchand, 58.
According to court documents, Lehrer is seeking bail on “medical grounds” as the court granted him bail to travel to Texas to seek medical attention.
The matter was heard “in camera” at the High Court in Dominica. The state is opposing the bail application.
During the “in camera” court hearing, residents from the Soufriere community where Daniel and Dominique resided armed with plaques bearing slogans, “No bail for Jonathan, “justice for my boss…jail him,” made their voices be heard expressing disappointment at the bail application and asking that he “not be granted bail.”
In December last year, (2023) murder charges were filed against Lehrer, 57, and 62-year-old Robert Snyder Jr., over the deaths of animation pioneer and Quebec philanthropist Daniel Langlois and his partner.
The prosecution alleges that between November 29 and December 2, 2023, the two Americans murdered Langlois and his partner Marchand. Their bodies were found incinerated in a car near Gallion, in the south of the island where they owned a hotel. Langlois and Marchand had been reported missing for several days.
However, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Sherma Dalrymple, speaking to reporters following the “in camera” hearing, said Justice Williams had denied requesting the accused to travel to Texas in the United States to obtain medical care.
She said the application had been heavily opposed by the DPP and the state’s team, including Trinidad-based attorney Keith Scotland, the special prosecutor.
“Today Justice Colin Williams ruled after hearing arguments on Monday, April 8, that there was no just cause to grant the applicant bail and also the requirement of the Bail Act had not been met for the granting of bail”.
The DPP said that she believes that Justice Williams’ ruling “focused heavily on the public interest, which was considered …under section 4 of the Bail Act, (and) so the requirements which were not met”.
Asked whether the accused could re-apply for bail at a later stage, the DPP said “In matters of that nature from my experience when bail is not granted at the first instance, where there is a change of circumstance and an application is brought before the court another application can be made”.
Dalrymple said that the prosecution intends to have the trial start at the September Assizes, “because we go back to court to present paper committal bundles in July,” adding that the evidence against the accused men has to be made available to the defense by June 18.