The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE CASE of two Americans facing trial for manslaughter will go ahead later this month as scheduled after prosecutors told a judge yesterday they were ready to proceed.

In a status hearing before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs, Office of the Attorney General prosecutors Cordell Frazier and Anya Allen informed the judge that the Crown would be ready to proceed with trial against Tyler Valles and Robert Schwarz in connection with the killing of a fellow countryman in Bimini.

Valles, 21, and Schwarz, 64, are charged with the March 14, 2014 manslaughter of 45-year-old Carl David Yerder, in which it is alleged that they intentionally caused Yerder’s death.

Yerder, a resident of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, was found lying in the grounds of a hotel with stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accused men were each granted $30,000 cash bail when arraigned in Magistrate’s Court five days after the victim’s death.

They pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge when formally arraigned in Supreme Court and are scheduled to stand trial on April 24.

Wayne Munroe, QC, represents Valles while Jomo Campbell represents Schwarz.

In another status hearing held yesterday before Senior Justice Isaacs, prosecutor Erica Duncombe indicated the Crown would be ready to proceed with trial against Donnavone Sturrup on September 11.

Sturrup, 33, faces a charge of attempted murder concerning the near fatal shooting of John Tellus on October 13, 2014.

Around 8pm, Tellus was driving on Miami Street in his Honda Accord when two armed assailants pulled up on motorcycles and fired into his car.

The accused, who also faces the lesser charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to endanger life, denied the allegations at his formal arraignment in Supreme Court.

He has retained attorney Lennox Coleby to represent him.