The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A “DISGRACEFUL state of affairs” is what Kofhe Goodman’s attorney dubbed the late servicing of the psychiatric report to the Supreme Court that has delayed his client’s sentencing a second time.

Geoffrey Farquharson spoke out after Garvin Gaskin, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, told Justice Bernard Turner that the prosecution had yet to see the report and the judge himself said he received it yesterday afternoon despite the report being dated October 2.

“This is a disgraceful state of affairs,” Mr Farquharson said when he was allowed to speak by the judge.

The attorney claimed that the provision in the law requiring a psychiatric report in such sentencing matters was being ‘abused by the powers that be’ and asked the court to exercise its discretion to “waive this requirement.”

However, Justice Turner said he would not waive a requirement that was set out as a guildeline in such sentencing matters by the London-based Privy Council.

Mr Farquharson then took issue with the contents of the probation report which he said contained statemtents from the family of Marco Archer who were seeking his client’s death, wishing for him to be killed.

The attorney expressed disbelief that the probation officer had allowed the family members to be a part of that report, resulting in the “perversion of justice.”

Justice Turner asked the attorney if he wanted the report not to be entered into evidence before sentencing.

Mr Farquharson said that was his request and further asked that an inquiry be done into how “Marco Archer’s family got mixed up into the report of Eduardo Ferguson.”

“This report is tainted by corruption from beginning to end,” the attorney said.

Goodman will return to the Supreme Court for sentencing on Monday, October 21.

Goodman, who is on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison, stood trial between April 17 and August 2 in connection with the murder of Marco Archer. He was found guilty.

Between September 23 and September 28, 2011, 38-year-old Goodman killed 11-year-old Marco Archer, of Brougham Street.