The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 12-MEMBER jury was empanelled yesterday to hear evidence in the Marco Archer murder trial before Justice Bernard Turner.

However, the prosecution will not begin presenting it’s evidence against the accused man, Kofhe Goodman, until tomorrow, April 19, as there are legal issues that have to be resolved before the trial commences.

The body of Marco, a student at Columbus Primary School, was discovered on September 28, 2012, in bushes behind an apartment in Cable Beach five days after he disappeared.

Goodman, 37, of Yorkshire Drive, was charged in connection with the murder two months later, on November 24.

He was told at his Supreme Court arraignment last year that he would stand trial on April 8, 2013, on a murder charge, which he denies.

However the start of trial was delayed by Goodman’s application to the court to have the trial stayed indefinitely due to the level of publicity the case had attracted.

Goodman’s attorney Geoffrey Farquharson argued last week that over the 18 months the case has been before the courts, the press continued to publicise it – in some instances inaccurately reporting on things it should not have.

Crown prosecutor Neil Braithwaite countered Mr Farquharson’s arguments for a stayed trial, calling them “scandalous” because they were drawing conclusions with no facts or basis to support them.

He further argued that in the instances where there seemed to be prejudice, it came from online commentators and not media professionals themselves.

The prosecutor said a fair trial was not impossible and that guidelines and measures could be taken to ensure such before the jury is empanelled.

Justice Turner said on Monday that a fair trial was possible and struck out the application. He told the jury pool to return to court for April 17.