The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court jury was directed to acquit Stephen “Die” Stubbs and Giovanni Roberts of abetment to murder yesterday.

Stubbs and Roberts, 37 and 30 respectively, were alleged to have had a role in the September 15, 2011, shooting deaths of Gamacio Jones and Clayton Smith.

An unidentified gunman shot Jones and Smith while in a car on Roland Avenue in Ridgeland Park on the date in question.

Though the jury had been empanelled last week, no evidence was taken in the case due to extensive legal discussions held between Crown and defence counsel in their absence.

Yesterday, when the matter resumed and the jury called into court, prosecutor Ambrose Armbrister offered no further evidence against the men on trial resulting in Justice Milton Evans directing the jury to acquit them of the charge.

Roberts, who was granted bail, did not appear for his trial and was being tried in his absence. Stubbs, who serving a life sentence for another matter, had denied the charge.

Murrio Ducille appeared for Stubbs, and Wayne Munroe, QC, and Ryszard Humes appeared for Roberts.