The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

THE arraignment of a 17-year-old boy accused of murder was postponed until further notice yesterday after his mother told a magistrate that he was diabetic and had been denied his medication while in police custody.

She told Acting Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt that her son was diagnosed with diabetes four months ago when he was told his disease was genetic in origin.

He requires insulin, she said, claiming that when she went to the police station to take food to her son yesterday morning, she discovered that his medicine had been “removed from the box it was in and hidden.”

The magistrate said the boy would be in no position to be arraigned.

“This court will not find that he is even fit to plead without his medication,” she said, adding: “The court has deferred arraignment to accommodate the defendant’s request and orders that he is to be immediately seen by a physician. I strongly urge the officers to ensure that he sees a physician before we have a travesty on our hands.”

Outside the Nassau Street court the boy’s family was also alarmed by his seeming gait, claiming he was limping.

As he was escorted into the courthouse they asked him what had happened and he said “they beat me too much.” The boy’s mother told the magistrate of his claim.

The magistrate told the court that the murder charge would usually be heard before the juvenile court.

She said after the boy receives sufficient medical attention, his case would resume before magistrate Delancy’s juvenile court.