The murder trial of Curt Charles, who is accused of murdering Eddy James on October 20, 2017, at Silver Lake, has reached yet another stumbling block.
On the trial day, prosecution and defense told the court that “they were set and ready for trial,” but it was observed that 28 jurors were impanelled for the session, and one was absent due to illness, making 27 present, which violated the Juries Act.
According to the Juries Act Chapter 5:70 under the heading “Mode of Impaneling.”
Mode of impaneling
Section 14 (3) When 30 names inserted in the preliminary panel have been marked “impaneled”, as aforesaid, the preliminary panel shall be complete.
Section 14 (4) Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, if, when a Registrar is impaneling an array of jurors to serve at a session, the number of jurors, whose names are included in the jurors’ register does not exceed thirty, the Registrar shall impanel as the array to serve at the session in question, all the jurors whose names are included in the register, and such array shall be good and valid, although the number empaneled is less than thirty.
David Bruney is representing the accused in the matter, and the State’s case is led by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple, along with State Attorneys in the DPP’s office. The matter is expected to commence on Thursday, May 15, 2025.