The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER and a 24-year-old man appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday separately charged in connection with a number of serious criminal cases, including murder.

The 16-year-old, of Taylor Street, appeared before Magistrate Constance Delancey charged in connection with the April 20 murder of Michael Steven Newland.

In the early hours, Newland was found near the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex with multiple gunshot wounds in his body.

The teen was not allowed to enter a plea to that charge due to the nature of the offence. Further charges of a similar nature were then laid against him: attempted murder concerning a shooting incident on April 29 when Donaven Adderley was hospitalised as a result of being held up and three counts of armed robbery that allegedly occurred on May 10.

The boy is alleged to have robbed Natelyn Demeritte of a 2005 Honda Civic and $56 cash on Abundant Life Road around 2pm. The teen is also charged with attempting to kill Demeritte.

On the same day, while armed with a handgun, he is alleged to have robbed Vinson Davis and Wayne Johnson of their Land wallets that collectively contained $500 cash and two cellular phones together worth $610.

The accused was informed that the matters would be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court on July 29 through the presentation of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment.

He was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services as the court did not have the jurisdiction to consider bail.

In a separate arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, Giovanni LaFleur, of Hope Gardens, was charged with intentionally causing the death of Luther Excellus on May 8 while attempting to murder Denario Andrews, Stephan Garcia and Frederick Molly in the process.

Shortly after 10pm, Excellus was sitting on a bench playing dominoes with a group of men on Matthew Street, Nassau Village, when occupants of a red Kia jeep drove past and fired several shots into the group, hitting Excellus in the left side of his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

LaFleur was not allowed to enter a plea to that charge and was told that his case would be forwarded to the Supreme Court on July 14. He, too, was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services until his next Magistrate’s Court appearance in two months.