...Court orders UWI student on murder charge remanded until trial
April 21, 2007
Senior Puisne Judge Marva McIntosh, after hearing a lengthy bail application on Thursday, ordered that Rodney Beckles, son of the University of the West Indies (UWI) professor, Hilary Beckles, should remain in custody until his trial.
Beckles, a 21-year-old social sciences student of the UWI, is accused of fatally stabbing 28-year-old Khalil Campbell, son of Supreme Court Judge Lennox Campbell, during a dispute over a chillum (ganja) pipe on January 4 this year.
He is to return to court on May 22 when his murder case will be mentioned.
The judge, in refusing bail, said that having regard to the nature and gravity of the offence, the court feared that the accused may develop the desire not to turn up for his trial.
The judge said further that she did not consider that it was a case in which bail should be offered and recommended that the case be tried during this term which ends on July 31.
Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn, outlined the allegations before attorney-at-law Patrick Atkinson made the bail application. She said that Campbell's body had a total of 18 knife wounds, 12 of which were to the front and six to the back.
Stabbed several times
She said there was a stab wound to the neck and one to the chest. Death was due to a stab wound to the heart.
It is alleged that Beckles denied Campbell the opportunity to smoke his 'chillum pipe', claiming Campbell was not mentally capable of 'handling the weed'. A developed during which Campbell was stabbed several times....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
