By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A GRANDSON was arraigned in the magistrates’ court yesterday charged with murdering his 74-year-old grandmother.
Jonathan Bethel, 21, of Greenway Drive, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Joyanne Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of murder concerning the stabbing death of his grandmother, Vivian Johnson.
He was arraigned as relatives of the two stood outside the Nassau and South Street courts icomplex.
Bethel was not required to enter a plea to the charge due to its nature.
It was claimed that on October 12 he intentionally, and by means of unlawful harm, caused the death of his grandmother with whom he lived.
Police officers found her body at her Greenway Drive home off Mermaid Boulevard around 8.20 pm on that December day.
She was found on the floor of a bathroom at her residence with several stab wounds.
In yesterday’s arraignment, following the prosecution’s notice to fast-track the case to the Supreme Court for trial through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment, a complaint of brutality was filed by Bethel’s attorney, Dr Glendon Rolle.
Dr Rolle claimed that his client, while at the Central Detective Unit, was beaten about the chest and lower body. The attorney unbuttoned the top of his client’s plaid shirt and asked the magistrate to consider what he said were the blood stains visible underneath.
The magistrate said that while she did observe the stains, the court could not say how they got there.
However, she made a note of the complaint and granted the request for his client to be seen by a doctor.
He was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until completion of trial.
Outside of court, while being escorted by officers to a holding cell, Bethel refused to hold his head up when instructed to by police.
His attorney and his relatives told him he ‘didn’t have to’ hold his head up for the media if he didn’t want to.
They were accused of obstructing justice and were warned they would be arrested if they continued to do so.
Dr Rolle told The Tribune his client ‘had rights too’.
“The officer threatened to arrest me for obstruction of justice for advising my client he has a right not to hold his head up,” said Dr Rolle.
“And of course, he put his hands around his throat in an attempt to raise his head. Well it’s all recorded during the walkthrough.
“As Bahamians, we all have rights and those rights ought to be adhered to. There’s no place in the law books of this country that one must hold up his head. The presumption of innocence is still there and you are protected and that is one that must stand.”
Dr Rolle claimed blood on his client’s shirt was received at CDU and was not there during his counsel with the 21-year-old, who had worn the same shirt, he said.
Bethel is scheduled to reappear in court on January 17, 2014 where the VBI is scheduled to be served.
Comments
positiveinput 11 years ago
This the Minority Report seems like cause December even hasn't began. lol As for the police and their actions. What is the need to have the individual all ruffed up for? He isn't even putting up a struggle. Let the courts do its job.
ThisIsOurs 11 years ago
Yep, they need to be professional. I wish they would stop beating people up. Put that same energy into learning how not to get cases thrown out of court
TheObjectiveVoice 11 years ago
It takes a lot to exercise constraint against someone who killed their Grammy... the reason why they are here in the world in the first place. How many of us were born or destined to kill our ancestors? I wish people would stop beating up on the police as if they are the enemy here... I always believed only criminals hate the cops so much. Keep your nose clean, Bahamas and you won't have to see them or deal with them at all. You won't end up in a cell but only relaxing right at home in ya living room with ya feet up in front of the TV. No roughin' up and no beating... stay away from bad company and stop being bad company. Get a life!
getrightbahamas 11 years ago
YUP! YOUR'E AN IDIOT ALL RIGHT!
positiveinput 11 years ago
@ theobjectivevoice "I wish people would stop beaing up on the police as if they are the enemy here..." Only ThisisOurs and myself spoke in reference to the police and if you could of decode our simple comments you would notice that we want the police to be more professional. Notice ThisisOurs comment, "Put that same energy into learning how not to get cases thrown out of court." Do you really think that post is good for any criminal. Its clear that reading comprehension is your enemy (TheObjectivevoice). Besides, your theory on how to stay out the cell is totally wrong because there are individuals whom did non of the above you mention, yet still have court cases.
John 11 years ago
Reading about crooked cops is one thing and experiencing how they operate is another. Just go to 868 Gibbs corner and see for yourself. Police put charges on persons with no intention of showing up to court. So they have these individuals on bail and back and forth to court for months, clogging up the court system. I witnessed police conspire as to which charges to put on an individual. AND going to the police complaint unit is truly a waste of time. They all wear the same uniform and belong to the same fraternity. And you should also remember police are not always the smartest crayon in the box. Some of them do not have the insight to see the far reaching effects of their dirty deeds that make the entire force, which have many excellent and professional and dedicated officers, corrupt and untrustworthy.
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