The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A TEENAGE boy will spend his Christmas and birthday behind bars after he was arraigned on a charge of murder in Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Stephen Russell, 18, of Garden Hills was remanded to Her Majesty's Prison until the completion of his trial in the Supreme Court. The teen, who turns 19 on Christmas Day, appeared before Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez of Court One, Bank Lane, to face a charge of murder and multiple charges of armed robbery and receiving. With regard to murder, prosecution alleges that the accused is responsible for the death of Tamal Kelson Stubbs nearly a month ago. On the evening of Saturday, November 19, Stubbs's body was found lying in the street with multiple gun shot wounds. Prosecution believes that the accused, also known as "Beans" is responsible for that shooting death of the Foxdale Subdivision resident. Chief Magistrate Gomez informed the defendant that he was not required to enter a plea to the charge due to the nature of the offence. Prosecution will present a Voluntary Bill of Indictment to the accuse on February 16, 2012, fast tracking the case to the next highest court. He was remanded to prison until completion of the trial. Before being escorted out of court, he was also arraigned on five charges of armed robbery and four charges of receiving stolen items, alleged to have been committed on Tuesday, October 11. Prosecution alleges that the accused, while armed with a knife, robbed four women and a man of goods and cash totalling $920. It is further alleged that he received all items, excluding the Android smart phone property of Rashad Gardiner. He pleaded not guilty to receiving the items but was not required to enter pleas to the armed robbery charges. The Voluntary Bill of Indictment in this matter will be served against the accused on the same day as the murder case, February 16, 2012. The accused was not represented during his arraignments. Eleven witnesses are listed on court dockets for the murder case compared to the nine witnesses for the armed robbery matters.