Fugitive freed of murder charge
October 27, 2006
A man who had been on the run for 10 years, was freed yesterday of the 1991 murder of a Jamaica Defence Force soldier.
Dwayne Alcock, 35, of Bull Bay, St. Andrew, was freed after Justice Marva McIntosh upheld a no case submission made by defence lawyer Lynden Wellesley. The judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.
Mr. Wellesley submitted at the end of the Crown's case that the identification evidence was weak. He also referred to conflicting statements given by some of the prosecution witnesses.
Alcock was charged with the murder of Corporal Anthony Smith.
Members of the security forces were on patrol in Arnett Gardens, Kingston 12, about 11:30 p.m. on October 17, 1991, when gunmen fired at them and Corporal Smith was fatally shot.
Alcock and Andrew Russell were charged jointly in October 1991 with Smith's murder. Alcock, who was on bail, absconded during the trial in 1995 and a bench warrant was issued for him. Russell was freed in 1997 of the murder charge.
Alcock fled to England and was subsequently deported. He was taken into custody in November last year and taken before the court to face trial in the Home Circuit Court for Smith's murder.
Author: Barbara Gayle
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
