The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A “POLITICAL show trial” is what Kofhe Goodman’s attorney dubbed the delay in yesterday’s sentencing of the convict for the September 2011 murder of Marco Archer.

After an adjournment to October 18 was proposed to Justice Bernard Turner by the prosecution due to the unavailable probation and psychiatric reports, lawyer Geoffrey Farquharson claimed the delay of the sentencing was a “charade” and a “political show trial”.

“We feel, as far as the defence is concerned,” Farquharson said outside of court, “that the government is deliberately delaying the sentencing of Mr Goodman because they want to prevent him from getting on to the Court of Appeal because they don’t want the Court of Appeal to see all of the nonsense that was permitted to happen in this trial.”

“And we are against that. We want him to be sentenced so that his appeal can be lodged.”

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

It was alleged that between September 23 and September 28, 2011, the 38-year-old Goodman, killed 11-year-old Marco Archer of Brougham Street.

On the final day of trial, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict in less than two hours of being excused by Justice Turner to deliberate on a verdict.

Following this, Garvin Gaskin, deputy director of public prosecutions, told the judge of the Crown’s intention to seek the death penalty in this matter.

The sentencing was adjourned to yesterday, September 27.

However, in yesterday’s proceedings, Mr Gaskin informed the court that they were not in possession of the two reports.

The judge confirmed that this was also the case for the court as it had been informed by the responsible agencies that completing the reports required another week.

“We’ve wasted quite a lot of time with this nonsense,” the lawyer said, when allowed the chance to speak by Justice Turner.

Mr Farquharson asked the judge to continue with the sentencing exercise because “this is a matter that will certainly be appealed”.

The lawyer also accused the prosecution of planting a family member into the jury, claiming that his client was told by one of the juror’s following the conviction “you no good c-----, that’s my lil cousin you, b----e”.

The lawyer also claimed that this same tactic occurred in another trial that was stopped last December because one of the jurors turned out to be a relative of the complainant.

“There’s been enough nonsense in this trial. Please sentence Mr Goodman so that we can begin the long process of the appeal,” the lawyer pleaded.

Justice Turner, however, noted that the requests for the reports were sought by the defendant and furthermore “if the prosecution is seeking a particular sentence, certain would be required.”

Mr Farquharson responded that while he took instructions from his client, he was not bound by them.

Justice Turner, for clarification, asked the lawyer if he was “asking the court to sentence him without material the Court of Appeal requires?”

The lawyer persisted that there was “no evidence whatsoever” in the record of the trial of aggravating circumstances that warranted the death penalty being sought.

He further claimed that there was no evidence to prove how the child died or evidence to suggest that the body found was in fact a child.

The lawyer also blasted the link between this case and government’s announcement of establishing a “Marco Alert” for abducted children.

Mr Farquharson noted that contrary to this proposed law and reports carried in the public domain, there was no evidence in the trial of any abduction taking place.

The judge, however, cut the lawyer off and told him that he would make his submissions on those matters at the appropriate time.

“It is not yet that point,” Justice Turner said before addressing Goodman about his previous request.

“I’ve abandoned the report,” Goodman answered the judge.

Mr Farquharson continued his submissions that his client was just visited by an officer from the Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services three weeks ago and the psychiatrist just last week.

He said that both officials are agents of the Crown, and if the matter was as important as it was publicised, the reports “should’ve been completed immediately.”

“The Crown does not want the Court of Appeal to see what’s going on in here,” he said, but added that he and his client have been ready for weeks to make their submissions regarding the sentencing.

The judge made an order for the reports to delivered to the court by October 9 and adjourned the matter to October 18 for sentencing.

“This is a political show trial, m’lord, staged for the benefit of the ministry of national security,” the lawyer said before Justice Turner adjourned court.

Today marks the second anniversary of the discovery of the dead child behind bushes of the Yorkshire Drive apartment that led to this case being before the courts.