The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

ACCUSED drug lord Melvin Maycock Sr and 13 other men are one court away from facing extradition to the United States after a magistrate handed down a ruling yesterday in the almost decade-old request by US federal officers.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the men to answer with respect to allegations of their involvement in a multi-national drug smuggling organisation, as alleged by the US government in 2004 when the request was made.

However, Maycock Sr, his son, Melvin Jr, Trevor Roberts, Gordon Newbold, Sheldon Moore, Devroy Moss, Shanto Curry, Lynden and Brenden Deal, Torry and Larran Lockhart, Wilfred Ferguson, Derek Rigby and Carl Culmer intend to appeal the magistrate’s ruling with a habeas corpus application to the Supreme Court.

They have fourteen days to do so, as the magistrate stipulated after ruling on the matter before having the men committed to a holding cell to be escorted to Her Majesty’s Prison where the court would await a response to the ruling.

Moments after this, attorney Maurice Glinton provided the court a copy of a stay order from the Supreme Court dated January regarding an application for a judicial review of the case that was before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.

That application involved Mr Glinton’s argument that the case should not be continuing due to a pending appeal before the London-based Privy Council on the legality of the Listening Devices Act, as the evidence in this case was obtained through such means.

The magistrate stood the matter down for nearly half an hour before readressing the matter when Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen was present for the Crown and Mr Glinton, Jerone Roberts and Paul Moss were present for the defence.

She stated that she had made a call to Senior Justice Isaacs who informed her that the stay order was superceded by his recent ruling in April on their application.

She said yesterday’s ruling still stood and that if the defence so wished, they could apply to the Supreme Court, which was their right.