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Double murder sentencing delayed

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

SENTENCING of a man unanimously convicted of a double murder has been delayed by five weeks. George Williams, 34, appeared before Justice Roy Jones yesterday to learn his fate having been convicted by a jury five months earlier of the April 23, 2008, murders of 32-year-old Andy Weekes and 29-year-old Terrel Mingo.

However, the court was informed that the probation report that was to be prepared for Williams was not ready. Justice Jones, in the circumstances, adjourned the matter to June 18.

Weekes and Mingo were both shot in the head behind a house on Adventurer’s Way. Weekes died at the scene and Mingo died the following day.

When the initial trial took place before Senior Justice Hartman Longley in October 2010, Williams faced the charges with Dwan Culmer.

The case was heard before a six-woman, six-man jury when Culmer turned Crown witness against Williams. The charges against Culmer were dropped.

Williams, of Freeport, Grand Bahama, physically attacked his lawyer, K Brian Hanna, afterwards, resulting in the lawyer withdrawing from the case the following day. The judge then ordered a retrial in Nassau.

The retrial took place in August. However, Justice Jones discharged the jury “in the interest of justice” after legal discussions following a potential prejudicial statement made during a defending attorney’s cross-examination of a witness. After two weeks of evidence, Williams was found guilty (12-0) on both counts of murder. Neil Braithwaite prosecuted the case while Williams represented himself in the trial.

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