The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A HUSBAND and wife, together with their adult son were remanded to prison yesterday after pleading not guilty to firearm related charges brought against them in Magistrate’s Court.

Dwight Major, 48, and Keva Major, 46, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt each facing a count of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition on Sunday January 22.

It is alleged that they, along with 24-year-old Ra’von Major, were found with a black Glock .45 pistol and 11 live rounds of .45 ammunition for the weapon without being the holders of a certificate or licenses to possess the items.

The Majors, when called on to enter a plea to the charges, denied committing any crime.

They return to Magistrate’s Court on March 14 for the start of their case where six witnesses are expected to give testimony.

The family was denied bail, however, and remanded to the Department of Correctional Services as the court lacked the discretion to consider or grant bail due to the charges against them.

However, they were advised of their right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

Before the conclusion of the arraignment, their lawyer Keod Smith expressed his clients’ concern that police were reportedly entering their Soldier Road home, where Dwight Major’s medication and medical records are held.

“There’s also been utterances about Dwight Major’s safety,” Mr Smith added.

“Who is making these utterances?” the chief magistrate asked.

Mr Smith said he was told that the utterances were being made by police to Dwight Major that he was “going to be extracted.”

“What does that mean?” the chief magistrate asked.

Mr Smith said he did not know. However, he stressed that in the years he has represented the eldest accused, his foremost concern was for his client to continue receiving treatment for a pre-existing medical conditions.

“Mr Major, have you been given an opportunity to take your medication?” Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt asked the accused.

“Some,” Dwight Major responded. “When I asked for the keys to give to my lawyer, CDU said DEU had it and DEU said CDU have (the keys).”

“If Mr Major suffers a seizure in prison, it may take days for the prison physicians to figure out what’s wrong with him,” Mr Smith said, stressing the urgency that his client should be allowed access to his medication and medical records.

“We wish to make sure the police knows that while he’s in custody that he’s afforded the constitutional right of being treated humanely,” Mr Smith said.

Police prosecutor Sgt Timothy Saunders questioned whether the lawyer “made any effort to get the keys.”

Mr Smith said he did without success.

The chief magistrate asked Supt Kent Strachan from the Central Detective Unit about this and he said this was the first time the issue of keys had arisen.

He also said that any requests made by the suspects while in custody had been addressed.

Dwight Major clarified that the keys were eventually given to him but he wished for his lawyer to have them in order to retrieve his medicine and medical records so that they could be handed over to physicians at the prison who will be responsible for his care in the interim.

The chief magistrate said that the officer in charge of inmates at the court complex would coordinate with Mr Smith on that matter.

“Even though it’s routine when persons are transported to the prison, I’ll place a notation on his remand warrant that he be seen by a physician,” the chief magistrate said before all three accused were taken away to be transported to the Fox Hill facility.